


The Tragic Kingdom.

by Liquid_Rites



Category: Disney-All Media Types, Disney-Fandom, Epic Mickey (Video Games), Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Clocktower, Comfort, Crossover, Curses, Diasomnia, Dimension Travel, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Heartslabyul, Hurt/Comfort, Ignihyde, Lonesome Manor, M/M, Magic, Mental Breakdown, NRC, Night Raven College, Octavinelle, Overblot, Pomefiore, Savanaclaw, Scarabia, Slight OOC, Slow Updates, Steampunk, Wasteland, blot powers, will add more tags as story goes on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 48,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25057651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liquid_Rites/pseuds/Liquid_Rites
Summary: When the people we love become memories, those memories become precious treasures.But what becomes of those treasures when they’re discarded?An emergency abroad study is proposed among the dorm leaders when one of the residents of the Ramshackle Dorm is violently whisked away.However, they would not be venturing into any distant land, but a familiar but dangerous new world. A place where the forgotten go to escape the fate of oblivion and lost memories rain down like trash. Where the magic of creation and destruction flow like rivers down every cliff and evil corruption takes a living inky form.As for the kidnapped Sorrel, with the help of residents of the lands struggles to come to terms with the fact that such a place might actually be her home.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 93





	1. One Little Spark

Run! That is what every limb in her body told her to do as she pushed through the crowds. Run! Because if she stopped it would get her, The Blot, the corrupted monster of ink and magic. It was going to kill her, consume her, drain her of her life. Like she had seen it done hundreds of times before to those who stopped to try to recover anything from the wreckage that was her town.

Down! She needed to get into the sewers, into the utilidors. Surely a monster so massive that it shifted the clouds in the sky with its movement couldn’t get her down there. Against her better judgment she turned back, she must have stepped over a manhole cover somewhere. Quickly moving against the tide of panicked people, readying to trample her if she were to fall down, that when she found one.

She knelt down nearly losing a finger to the haphazard traffic of panicked citizens as she used all her strength to move the manhole cover out of the way. The people around her noticing the different means of escape pushed her aside falling and tumbling down into the hole without a second thought.

She gasped standing up the air becoming hard to breathe cold and thick as a winter slush as The Blot drew ever closer. With one glance around she readied herself to push through the crowd and jump down the hole, but something caught her right in the chest. It felt like her stomach had fallen out from her as she tentatively raised her hand to her chest. Shakily, she blanched as she felt the sticky, gritty, wetness of The Blot’s corrupted ink seeping into her back through her skin and down the front of the uniform she wore. 

The world began to slow ever so slightly as the color started to drain from her limb's color and feeling. The Blot held her there like a limp puppet, she gritted her draw against the draining feeling the of her body becoming inert. With a set jaw as she looked up at the sky seeing the monster’s eyes peering down like two venomous green suns at the chaos and destruction, it had rained down on the struggling town.

She wants to shout at the beast that she was still fighting, that somehow, she’d get revenge on the monster for what it had done. However, she was too afraid to speak as she felt The Blot’s grip tighten on a singular point within her chest. The manifestation of the corrupted creature inside her squeezing against her pulse and her breathing in a suffocating vice.

Then suddenly with pain unlike any other, she felt her heart shatter like glass.

｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡

“Wake up!” Grim batted the face of the sleeping girl “Mrr, you promised me an omelet!” The cat monster growled. He would very much like to sleep in two but the promise of getting an extra morning meal for getting the non-magical human up on time was always too tempting to pass up.

Sorrel mutter and rolled over a few strands of messy hair falling in her face. “K...” she breathed blinking her eyes still half asleep.

Grim squinted his blue eyes and growled and not satisfied with her answer and summoned a small circle of blue flames around her bed.

“Okay!” Sorrel leaped out of the bed with a startled scream. The colorful kaleidoscope of her hazel eyes flashing with anger as she grabbed her uniform and rushed for the dorm’s bathroom.

The gray feline chuckled to himself with pride as he stretched out on one of the pillows to get a brief catnap while his minion got ready.

Adrenaline filled this Sorrel’s movements that she got ready for the day, getting dressed in the stuffy uniform that didn’t quite fit on her frame as well as her male classmates. She reached for a comb on the counter to pull her hair back and stopped noticing that her hand was moving towards a glass comb with the golden handle.

Nope, as much is that comb was given to her with what she assumed was sincere intentions every time she used that she ended up poking herself in the neck. She then reached into a drawer and pulled out a simple wooden hairbrush that she had managed to buy with her own money. It was a large bush and judging by the bristles she guessed that it was originally meant for horses, but it did the trick of straightening out her honey brown hair and pulling it up into a short ponytail.

Sorrel examined herself in the mirror once more, her hair was getting longer she noted. She played with the idea of having it grow out more and maybe having it pulled back with ribbons or even a clip or two. Though she knew that it would have to be cut, after all, there was no need for her to accentuate the parts that made her different from all the other students at Night Raven College.

She was the only girl in a school for boys, the only one that didn’t use magic in a school for magicians. Even though she had been more or less trapped in the school for less than a year she knew the novelty of her existence hadn’t become mundane to all the students as of yet. Her throat felt dry at what could possibly happen if she didn't try her best to at least blend in with the rest of the students.

“You nearly smothered me in my sleep last night!” Grim jumped on the bed when she reentered the dorm room “You should be grateful that I didn’t scratch your face off.”

“Why were you close enough to me so I could do that?” Sorrel asked looking for the material she would need for class. Was today history or alchemy? Might as well take both books.

“You kept moving around in your sleep, I thought you had gotten sick or something.” He answered looking at her with a hint of concern.

“Oh… I actually had a really bad nightmare.” She said as images from the nightmare snaked crossed her mind’s eye. “Thanks for checking on me.” She told him with a playful smile even though recalling the dream she had made her feel uneasy.

It wasn't like any of the dreams that she had had at the school so far, that nightmare wasn't in an impersonal vision of black and white. It had color and sensation and put her in the center of complete chaos if that dream was trying to hint at something, she didn’t want to be a part of it.

“Don’t think I did that for free.” Grim teased with a pointy tooth smile.

“Let me guess a can of tuna?” She answered putting her books into an over the shoulder bag.

“Mrr, yes.” He purred “And a sandwich!” Then with all the grace of a cat searching through a trashcan he hopped off the bed and moved beside her on two legs.

“Okay.” Sorrel glanced over to the clock by the mirror “We should get going or we’ll miss breakfast.”

Sorrel huffed slugging her bag over her shoulder and move quickly out of the room.

Grim looked back at the old coo-coo clock and laughed “Ha-ha, that clock is still broken nya!” His teasing end on a sound of rushed footsteps and the front door slamming shut “Hey wait for me!” He screamed and whimpered down the stairs after her.

The cafeteria was as busy as it ever was in the morning, bustling with hungry students trying to get food or discussing their plans for the day with friends. Sorrel not seeing her usual breakfast companions from Heartslabyul decided to sit at the far corner of the room with Grim.

Grim eagerly began to munch down on his three-course and then some breakfast, while Sorrel absentmindedly chewed at the end of her fork as she stared at her eggs. She really wished that Grim hadn’t reminded her of the nightmare she had, nothing like a dream about death to make you start thinking about your life.

The worst part of it was the pain. Wasn't there saying that you weren't supposed to feel any pain in your sleep? Yet, she did feel pain in that dream her heartbreaking into a tiny piece like a teacup dropped by a child.

It reminded her of the night she arrived at Night Raven College when she spoke her name to The Dark Mirror how the face within the mirror stated that it couldn’t sense anything from her at all. It had confirmed what she feared up to that point, for no matter fearful she got or how fast her lungs moved from panting.

She never felt her heartbeat.

She didn’t know how magic worked in this world, truly, even though she was there to study it, but perhaps lacking a heart maybe even a soul meant you actually couldn’t do magic at all. When she thought this was all a dream it was another weird thing that she could ignore, but when her situation became a reality it became a dreadful secret. Those times when she had woken up in the infirmary was terrifying, not because of the reasons that she was put there but the fear that somebody would notice. She hadn’t even brought up her condition to Grim, though it was too late to confess anything now.

“Uh?” Sorrel was snapped back to reality as she saw a small parfait cup being placed in front of her. The sudden appearance of the dessert completely derailing her dower train of thought.

Her eyes went wide astonished by the deep syrupy colors of the berries against the neutral tones of cream cake and nuts. She blinked staring at the treat, her eyes trailing up the arm that had placed it down. 

Cater Diamond smiled snapping a picture of her surprised face with his phone. Then rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand and said “I was given one of this by mistake, thought I could pass it on to you?”

Sorrel was pretty sure desserts like parfaits weren't something that was 'handed out by accident', though she smiled at him anyway and said “Sure, thank you.”

“Thanks a lot.” He said sounding relieved to be free of the sweet treat “Hey, what time do you usually head back to your dorm at night?” He asked before looking at something on his phone.

“Right after class, unless Crowley stops her or Sorrel gets herself to trouble," Grim said briefly taking his attention away from devouring his breakfast.

Biting her tongue on bringing up to the cat-like monster that most of the trouble she got in was actually his fault she resolved to ask. “Why do you ask? Do you want to do something together after class?” Sorrel tilted her head thinking Cater’s rather peculiar question.

“Sadly, not today.” Cater shook his head “Riddle’s got me running errands for him all day.”

“Errands, how come?” Grim asked. 

“He’s working on a special event and, kinda conscripted the rest of the dorm to help out," Carter answered. 

“What type an event, like another unbirthday party for your dorm?” She hoped that Riddle wasn’t turning back into a tyrant and working Heartslabyul to hard.

“Can’t say, I’m sure Ace and Deuce will tell you about it.” Cater teased as his phone gave a pinged “Gotta go now see you later.” He waved at her and the demon cat before heading out of the cafeteria.

She watched him for a brief moment before grabbing the parfait cup to take a buy it and claim it before Grim could get his greedy paws on it. The sweet-tasting flavor of the treat flooded her taste buds and her chest felt tight. Cater more than likely actually bought the parfait even though he didn’t enjoy sweets in the slightest.

Sorrel closed her eyes putting the spoon down to put a hand to her chest. There she felt it like the fluttering of a baby bird’s wings. She didn’t know when it happened but when she did during the middle of the exams she nearly screamed, though that heartbeat had been even weaker than. The school, with its magic and strange and wonderful residence, had changed her somehow given her a heart.

It even made her wonder if she were to confront The Dark Mirror, would have something new to say?

It also made her worry that only grew the cruel imagery of her nightmare stuck in her mind.

Could she, lose her heart?

She decides as breakfast ended and classes start that it wasn't a line of thought she could examine right now. Perhaps when she got home, if that ever happens, her peculiar condition would make more sense. Until then she needed to stay more alert, more pressing matters happened at Night Raven College daily that she really couldn't afford to get distracted.

Classes came and went as walls to be expected for a student who couldn’t do magic. The professors didn’t single her out to pick on her for her lack of magic ability either. It was almost an easy day, save for the times when Grim started to get a little too bored and thereby became destructive in class. She was thankful enough he had gotten a big breakfast and slept through the classes where he would do the most damage.

Sorrel’s shoulders felt sore from carrying her bag all day, at least now she would remember that the first day of the week was history, too bad that was the heavier of the two books. With a sigh as she glanced up at the sky and then to Main Street as a Grim in her made their way back to their dorms. She couldn’t wait to get back to her room and dump her bag, maybe take a nap before she decided what to do with the rest of her day.

As she walked past the statues of the Great Seven, which she had learned from her dreams weren’t exactly that great, she paused and noticing something. The detail that she hadn’t really noticed until today the shadows seeming to be lined up just right to notice it. At the end of the side that held only three statues, the ground dipped ever so slightly nearly imperceptible because of the blanket of grass beside the pathway. Had there been an eighth statue here along with the Great Seven? Or did somebody dig a hole there in the ground and didn’t settle quite evenly? She guessed that it must’ve been connected to the dorm that she was currently residing in.

“Umm?” Grim's ears twitched as he noticed something the distance “Hey what’s with that crowd over there?” The cat’s ears twitched again as he bounded forward without her.

Sorrel readjusted her bag and went after him; she could figure out whether or not there was another statue later. She tailed Grim to the edge of campus where a cluster student was standing around some sort of flying machine. It was shaped like a blimp colored and dark coppers and reds with pipes and fans running along its edges. It glimmered like an alien spaceship in contrast to the older fantasy aura of Night Raven College.

Looking around to find any guidance on what was going on she noticed the headmaster standing off away from the group. His expression looked serious with one hand resting on his chin as he examined the gears and puffs of steam that emerge from the flying machine.

“Mr. Crowley, what's going on?” Sorrel asked approaching them slowly as to not startle him.

“Oh, nothing major, just some traveling salesman.” He answered taking a moment to notice her “Nothing can be done about it now, is completely out of my hands.”  
“What do you mean?” Grim asked tilting his head.

“Nothing, I usually support outside businesses visiting the campus. It's just I'm deeply worried about the students getting caught up in the glamour of the sales pitch and being duped out of their money again.” Crowley’s lips formed into a thin line as he watched yet more students gather around the flying machine.

“Do you want us to investigate the vendor and make sure he’s not doing anything shady?” Sorrel offered picking up on that the headmaster had said 'again', which probably meant dealing with less than trustworthy salespeople was a common occurrence.

“Or I can scare them off for you!” Grim gave a toothy grin at the thought.

“No, no, there’s no need for that.” Crowley said though his words were not reassuring “Though I would be careful I’ve been watching their demonstrations for a while and their magic seems… Otherworldly.”

Sorrel nodded and looked at the blimp, surely there wouldn’t be any harm in taking a glance inside in saying what the vendor had to offer. Maybe, that otherworldly magic Crowley seem so concerned about might actually be useful to her. Though she wouldn't get her hopes up that the salesmen and there would have anything that would help her return home.

“Ah, before you go would you mind doing some things for me?” The headmaster began to pull a folded piece of paper his coat pocket “I have important business to attend to today but these tasks on this list need to get done as well.

Sorrel swallowed as Crowley began to unfold the paper “Of course. I’d be happy to help.” She smiled as all her potential plans for the night spiral down the drain.

“Chores? Really!” Grim cried more vocally displeased then Sorrel was.

“They’re not all priority but if you could get the ones that I’ve marked down in a red done by the end of the day that be greatly appreciated.” The headmaster tapped the list before handing it to her.

With a leap grim hopped on to Sorrel’s shoulder “Almost all of them are marked with red ink!” He hissed looking at the list.

“Look at the time, I think I left some unfinished paperwork at my desk.” The headmaster said his tone more chipper “Don’t worry about returning the list I’ll know which ones you’ve gotten done.” He waved his hand as he turned and went back to the main part of the campus “Goodbye Grimm, goodbye Miss Sorrel.”

“Grr.” Grim hopped off her shoulder as the headmaster went out of sight “Will end up working until next morning doing everything on this list, we might even miss dinner.”

“No use complaining Crowley volun-told us to do it.” Sorrel sighed, 'voluntold' was her special word for the way the headmaster would boss around the students, mainly her, to do something he was supposed to do.

Handyman, student, maid, magical lawyer, thief, investigator, and most of all therapist. Sorrel had become Night Raven College’s resident unqualified and unpaid problem solver. As she examined the list of things that she would have to do before she could go to bed she started to wonder if would be too much to ask for at least an allowance.

“Wish we could just say no without getting lashed.” Grim grumbled crossing his furry arms.

Sorrel nodded agreeing with him as she started to make her way into the crowd to see what the traveling salesmen was doing. She managed to slip past a line of students, as Grim easily slipped between their legs and jumped on her shoulder to get a better view.

“Then add a dragon scale and a lovely purple pigment and just like that!”

There was a loud pop and a wispy lavender cloud wafted over a haphazard stage of metal boards and wooden crates. Sorrel looked up to see who was on stage, he was as old as most of the second years and was dress as eccentrically as the headmaster. With a big black top hat and formal navy suit with a long plaid scarf wrapped around his neck several times and still dangled as low as his waist. His eyes were covered by aviator goggles as he gave a big disarmingly cute grin as walked around a large machine that looked like a pressure cooker that had too many pipes and valves welded onto it.

He unlocked the lid more mist flowing out the opening as he reached into the container with pristine white gloves “You have a Figment! It looks like I made two.” He lifted his arms two reveal two royal purple baby wyverns clinging to his arms. Their gecko shaped faces looking at the audience with childlike curiosity as they crawled up his arms and draped themselves over his shoulder.

Sorrel was taken aback by the stranger as she watched him, not because he was threatening, he was actually the opposite. He seemed to give off an aura that he was safe to be around. Which was completely unversed to the friends she had made at Night Raven College who she had to grow close to and learn to trust. This instant connection and sense of safety had become so foreign to her she concluded that it had to be some type of magical manipulation.

“Figments are far more loyal than any familiar you can possibly have because they are made directly from your own mind, they can look and behave any way you wish as long as you feed them the proper materials to do so.” The vendor said petting the baby dragon “Then when you’re done you can just.” He bopped the two-legged a dragon on the nose making it evaporate into a purple smoke “and if you have a good memory you can bring them back just as easy.” He said lifting up his top hat to reveal that the Figment was now resting peacefully on his chestnut brown hair.

Grim watch tail twitching as he listened to the man on stage explains the potential powers that the monsters called figments could do.

“Of course, you don’t need a fancy machine like mine any cauldron can do once you have the right materials and a Spark.” The salesman concluded.

“How do we get a Spark?” A Student asked from the crowd.  
The salesman blinked adjusting his scarf “Everyone has at least one, you can’t make anything new without it.” He smiled and laughed “Of course, if you wasted your as you can always borrow from someone else.”

“I wonder how those Figments taste, I want to make one that’s a giant fish.” Grim mewed “I can’t stop imagining all the minions I could create!” He hummed imagining it.

“Customer! Customer!” The shrill voice of a woman called out as a dark shadow circled over the students.

A raven the size of a small dog lowers itself on to Sorrel shoulders “Caw!” it screamed as it pushed Grim off to rest on her like a feather boa.

Grim muttered angrily as he got to his feet, he stared up at the bird furious that he lost his spot to a bird. The student around Sorrel began to move drastically away from her as the bird glared at them with dark red eyes.

Putting the two dragon Figments into the pot on stage “In an interested buyer? Who could it be?” He asked making his way to her.

"Your bird's mistaken; I don't want to buy anything," Sorrel explained.

The salesman laughed taking his goggles off and move them to his hat “Nag is not my bird, she’s my friends, but he’s currently taking a nap.” He looked her over with dark yet comforting eyes “He always gets so moody on bright sunny days like these.” He said gesturing her to the open door of his airship.

Conflicted as she the extra weight of the bird on her shoulders making her uncomfortable, though moved into the airship knowing that the eyes of a good portion of the first-year students were on her. Grim bounded after them pulling himself in before the closing door caught his tail.

The man said happily to her “So, what are you looking for, my main specialty is bottled dreams, but I also have a fair collection of charms as well as artifacts from around the world.” Walking around the students that were inside the store he moved a few items around and counted his wares to make sure nothing was taken while he was outside. “Even some that aren’t of this world.” He whispered moving a goblet that looked molded out of led to a higher shelf.

“I can’t do magic, sorry really, your bird.” Sorrel stopped to correct yourself “Nag picked me out by mistake.” She said bluntly. Her eyes flicked across the shelves for anything that might remind her slightly of the world she remembered as home. Bags of candy, bottles filled with liquids that moved and changed its color, and even a barrel full of umbrellas that flapped and rattled as if trying to break free.

“Nag never lies, you must be conflicted. Your heart saw something that your mind didn’t quite process?” The stranger said putting down his hat and undoing his scarf putting them down on a wooden shop counter.

“Sounds like you’re trying to push a sale on her.” Grim grumbled poking around the bottles and boxes. He let out a sharp yowl of pain as a lobster claw shot out of the boxes he was messing around with and pinched him,

“Caw! Caw!” Nag clicked it's beak affectionately against Sorrel’s hair “She saw the rabbit! She wants the rabbit!”

“What?” Sorrel hadn’t seen a rabbit on any of the shelves or sitting in a basket.

“The rabbit?” The salesman blinked his cholate colored his smile shifting slightly “Y-yes, yes I knew you wanted the rabbit.” He sounded almost choked up as he ducked behind the counter.

“She didn’t say she wanted a rabbit!” Grim’s tail twitched smelling something fishy and not in the way he liked.

Reemerging with a black hat box the man pulled out a stuffed animal from within the cylinder. The plush didn’t look like a conventional rabbit instead it was more of a simple anthropomorphized version of the animal with velvety black fur and blue pants with a cut out for its black cotton ball tail. The face of the toy was made of a different white fabric were to black button eyes and a button nose tightly saw it on and a line of black stitching to indicate that the bunny was smirking.

“Here is a charmed black rabbit toy.” He said holding the toy out to her “What do you think of it?”

"It's actually really cute," Sorrel admitted as she took the stuffed animal feeling the age yet softness of the rabbit. The toy felt familiar to her but not in a way that made her an easy like the salesman was, it was like seeing an old toy from her childhood. She could actually imagine the stall sitting on a toy shelve or it in between her bedsheets as a child.

“This rabbit has been known to drastically change its owner’s luck; it also can provide guidance when you feel lost or homesick." The salesman explained.

“Really?” Grim tilted his head examining the toy.

“Do you miss your home?” The man asked watching her reaction to the doll intently “Or have you just been experiencing bad luck as of late.”

“A little bit of both.” Sorrel squeezing the rabbit in her hands slightly, the strong sense of nostalgia the rabbit gave her made a part of her chest ached dully.

The salesmen gave a sad smile and said “I’d give it to you for free but, my business partner would bite my ear off for it.”

“Caw no freebies!” The Raven that had been laying on her shoulders casually straightened up and flapped its wings. Then hopped off Sorrel the click its beak threateningly at Grim and the blue-suited man.

"I don't think I have enough money for this," Sorrel said despondent, as much is, she likes the rabbit she couldn't spend her money on something that was essentially a large worry doll.

The salesman stopped his smiling surprised by her words. “You do what you pay me with tonight’s dream?” he offered sounding insistent.

“Her dream? But she’s not asleep.” The monster cat commented.

“Dreams are always with you; you can dream all the time without even having to go to sleep. So, what you say one night of dreamless sleep for ownership of the lucky rabbit doll?” The salesman asked again drumming along the top of his top hat nervously.

Sorrel looked down at the rabbit crestfallen, fighting the urge to hold the rabbit close to her chest. She really wanted the rabbit toy but was deeply worried about paying in a dream and what that would entail. Her dreams were extremely important when she had them yet, on the other hand, she would've happily given away the nightmare she had last night.

“Come on make up your mind we still got all that work we gotta do for Crowley," Grim said tapping his feet in irritation as he glanced at the door of the ship. Clearly becoming bored with the shop and tired of the entire situation.

“Yes, I’ll pay for the doll with my dream.” She felt nervous wishing that she wasn’t put on the spot about it. It was just a toy after all.

Face lighting up with manic glee, the man flipped over his hat and put it on “Wonderful! Now hold still.” He reaches behind him for an empty glass spray bottle with a funnel attached to the nozzle.

Grim’s furs began to stand on as there was a sudden drastic change in the temperature around the room when the salesman pointed the bottle at Sorrel. The students around the shop stopped to look up at the ceiling as heavy black storm clouds began to form above their heads rumbling low with thunder. Sorrel hugged the rabbit plushy tied and closed her eyes as inky globules of negative energies started to emerge from her.

The air in the room became a violent wind knocking over boxes and shattering bottles by standards in the room used magic spells to protect themselves or ducked under the nearest study object to protect themselves from flying debris. The ink-black aura began to morph and congeal into a dripping demonic form with long bony limbs and eyes and mouth that is oozed a foreboding light.

Sorrel opens her eyes to see the monster bearing down at her. The monster dripping maw opened wide as its gnarled hands reached for her neck. The nightmare made manifest made another go for her again as she stepped back. The inky phantom was jerked back the wispy tail being caught in the funnel of the bottle, the rest of the beast began to be ripped apart and sucked into the bottle. The monster roared spattering some for its viscus drool on her face before being sucked into the bottle along with the swirling storm.

“Looks like I got a nightmare.” The stranger gave a thin-lipped smile as he stared at the bottle’s contents which had become a swirling storm “Seems like your luck has already turned around.” He said ignoring the rest of the chaos in the shop.

“Sorry!” Sorrel held the rabbit tight feeling embarrassed at how much damage her nightmare had caused. Her tiny heart felt it was going to rip in two as she tried to wipe off the drool that had already disappeared with her nightmare.

“No, it’s perfect. I rarely have access to such potent fear." He complimented her “It really is a beautiful nightmare; it’s been an honor to have you for a customer.” He said and coughed as his eyes watered. Then snaping toppled over objects flew back on the shelves. The students who had witnessed the scene that had occurred began to slowly leave the shop or return to their business as if nothing happened.

“Caw! Who’s next?” The raven squawked happily before jumping up on a shelf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I always make my first chapter too long. O(TヘTo)  
> Confession time! This is actually a remake of an Epic Mickey fic I did in 2013, which I never officially finished. I wanted to give it another shot by blending the lore of Twisted Wonderland and Epic Mickey to hopefully make something more enjoyable to write, and hopefully enjoyable for all you to read as well.  
> I also had a prologue planed but I didn’t want to reveal the antagonist true intentions so early on. However, if you want a sneak peek/spoiler on the OC's (my MC stand in included) and Wasteland character's backstories and motivations I was heavily inspired by these songs.  
> I Will Go Sailing and No More (Disney on the Record Version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egufp4gfRno  
> Aviators/Living Tombstone Mashup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKleeop6kwE  
> Little Sister: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LhTbrnZsGo


	2. A Merry Unbirthday To You!

The color of the sun shined a warm burnt orange through the windows of the halls. The echoes of the chatter and footsteps of students echoed from somewhere in the building as their shadows fell like giants across the wall. With tired stumbling steps, Grim and Sorrel made their way down the core door exhausted and aching from fatigue.

“So. Tired. Nya.” Grim wined his tail dragging along the floor.

"We're not even a quarter of the way through the list," Sorrel said looking at the piece of paper and the rows upon rows of scribble tasks that needed to be done.

"We'd have more done if you'd put down that stupid stuff animal," Grim commented snidely his blue eyes squinting at the rabbit doll in her arms.

A long, defeated sigh was the only response Sorrel could give him as she gripped the plushie tighter. It wasn’t her plan to carry around the toy like she was a small child, but no matter how many times she tried to put it in her bag it popped out as if it had a mind of its own. She almost lost the rabbit completely when some first years from Savanaclaw, got to it first and began teasing her about how they were going to make it their new chew toy. She was so grateful that Leona had been there to scare them off, she could still remember clearly the way his green eyes burned bright between sleepy blinks as he emerged from the shadows. She made sure that the toy was at her side after that so it wouldn’t be taken so easily by anyone else.

Sorrel lost in the mix of exhaustion and, her own memories did not notice Grim had stopped right in front of her causing her to trip and, fall over him on to her face. On the ground, she hugged the rabbit toy tighter as the monster cat began to hiss and cuss at her for being so clumsy. Now that she was there on the floor she wondered if it would be possible just to rest her eyes, just for a second. If the headmaster found her now, she would happily be voluntold off for her impromptu nap, it would serve him right for shoving his responsibilities on her yet again.

“Aw hello, little shrimp!"

The sound of Floyd Leech made Sorrel’s hairs stand on end as she pushed herself up to her knees. Glancing over her shoulder at his voice she noticed both Floyd and Jade standing right behind her. She gasped completely bewildered that the twins snuck up on her. Sorrel’s cheeks flushed red at the of them seeing her face plant on the floor, they surely would hold it over her head. Even if they didn't, they would find a moment to tease her about it even if they meant it as harmless fun.

“Here, let me help you up.” Floyd laughed showing all his teeth as he gripped her arm tightly pulling her to her feet.

She swallowed nervously as she stood up gripping the stuffed animal tightly more as an effort to hide it than anything else. The nervously glancing at the floor as she noticed her book bag slide off her shoulders.

“It’s okay, I've got your bag," Jade said picking it up for her and slowly draped the bag on the opposite shoulder that Floyd was grasping.

Sorrel’s eyes flicked from twin to twin, unsure what to say her breath quickening as she became nervous. It was so much easier to talk to one of them individually or when they were standing in front of her together, she felt like addressing one first would upset the other. She didn’t have to make a decision as another voice, one she recognized immediately as the Octavinelle dorm leader spoke up.

“Good evening Sorrel, what do you have in your arms there?” Azul asked emerging from the shadow from where he was observing her. His blue eyes slowly settling on the rabbit doll that was having the life squeezed out of it.

Sorrel froze feeling trapped between the twins as Azul stepped closer his gloved hand resting on her arm. She did her best to keep her breathing even as her heart felt like a drummer that couldn’t keep a steady rhythm.

Azul smirked at her expression and said “Don’t fret, it’s not like I’m going to hurt it.” Then pulled the doll out of her arms by the ear.

“Hey don’t yank it from her!” Grim yelled at him still sore from being trampled on.

“You have a stuffed animal how cute!" Floyd chuckled as he loosened his grip on her.

“I didn’t know you like such things?” Jade asked moving to Azul's side to get a better look at the doll.

“I just bought it today.” Her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Azul’s playful smirk turned foul as his eyes went cool and he asked “Where?”

"There is a vendor from outside the school visiting today." She answered him confused by the sudden change in his mood.

“Really?” He turned the rabbit in his hands as if he was holding a dangerous weapon and not a simple toy “I’m usually aware of such thing, I’ll have to look into that.” He handed the stuffed animal to her.

Floyd let her go-to move to join the other two merfolk “Hey lil' shrimp, what’s this piece of paper that you dropped?” He said picking up a folded piece of paper.

“Just a list of chores Crowley is making us do.” Grim huffed the mere mention of the list seeming to drain the energy out of the cat.

“That’s a long list.” Jade said as he peered over his brother as Floyd unfolded the list “How about we help you with some of these tasks?”

“No thanks.” Grim answered clearly not want to get into any type of debt with the merfolk.

“Don’t worry, let’s consider a small favor between friends.” Azul gave an innocent smile.

Sorrel shifted the bag in the rabbit in her arms genuinely thinking about the offer. She looked out the window at the sun that was sinking over the horizon and knew that she wouldn’t have the work done until the sun rose on the other side of campus. Even if she could duplicate herself like Cater there was no guarantee that she was going to get any of it done in the time that would give her a decent night's sleep.

“Hmrr, a favor?” Grim said not liking the idea.

“Okay, because we’re friends.” She met the three second years eye to eye as she agreed to the offer.

Grim stiffened in shock and looked up at Sorrel, then crossed his arms. It was clear despite his own exhaustion he would prefer to see the list through to completion then take the easy way out.

Azul smirked as he tore the lower piece off the list “Here.” He handed the small slip of paper to her “We’ll handle the rest.”

“Thank you.” Sorrel smiled at them as she took the piece of paper.

“It’s the least we can do.” Jade nodded

“Your welcome shrimpy!” Floyd said with an eager grin.

“You should go ahead and finish your part of the list.” Azul gently took her by the shoulder to lead her down the hall “We’ll meet up to negotiate how you’re going to repay that favor.” he whispered in her ear before letting her go.

“I knew it!” Grim said ears twitching as he squeezed himself between the two.

“Again, thank you so much.” She turned to the three Octavinelle students before heading off.

Azul and the Leech twins watched her disappear around the corner “You two go join the others to make sure that the preparation for tonight is completed.” Azul said to the twins as he ripped up the paper in his hands “I’m going to do a little, investigation, on the person that sold her that rabbit.”

“What about the party?” Floyd asked.

Azul chuckled and said, “I’ll be there, don’t worry.”

｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡

Stars twinkled through the velvet purple of the evening sky as Grim and Sorrel entered the corridor that led into the library. Everything in the school was dark except for the green candlelight that glowed within the library’s lamps.

"Okay, the last thing on the list get the navy-blue book with the gold trim to his office.” Sorrel looked around at the towering bookshelves, thankful that she would finally be able to get back to the dorm.

“Why didn’t he just give us the title of the book?” Grim hopped on a desk to look at the books that hovered in the darkness.

Sorrel just shrugged as she ran her fingers are crossed the spines of books on the nearest shelf. At this point, she was looking for any remotely blue book and gold so she can be done. She stopped blinking in confusion as she heard the sound of a bird’s beak clicking and snapping from an upper floor.

Looking up she noticed a large raven perched on the second-floor eyeing her with shimmering eyes “Nag?” She asked aloud to the bird, making Grim straighten to notice the bird as well.

The raven clicked its beak again letting out a squawk as it took off circling around the library. The blackbird flapped its wings around the lamps and candles as it stared at the two of them before fluttering up to the darkness of the highest point in the library.

At first in tiny clusters then altogether of the lamps and lights in the library were extinguished. The darkness in the room becoming almost physical as the shapes and forms of the bookshelves and furniture seemed to dissolve the way into a void. A swirling chill beginning to form on the floor licking and puffing against Sorrels's ankles.

“Hey who turned out the lights!” Sorrel shivered searching for a bookshelf to anchor herself in the darkness but every time she reached for one, she ended up only grasping air.

“My bets on the ghosts!” Grim hissed “This isn’t funny!” He called out into the darkness.

Sorrel nearly screamed as she felt Grim jump on her shoulders. The feline monster more adept at seeing in the dark than she could with her eyes.

“Is it too dark? I’ll light a candle.” An unfamiliar male voice said, like the darkness itself had been given the ability to speak.

Then a small candle was lit the fire a golden beacon as a study desk was illuminated within the darkness.

Sorrel rushed over to the table placing her free hand against it like a lifeline “Grim?” She whined half hoping this was an elaborate trick put on by the cat.

“That fire wasn’t mine.” The blue fire in Grim’s ears seeming to warp and shrink against the supernatural darkness.

“You know, I was going to be really upset with Deacon giving me another false alarm, but doesn’t this seem nostalgic.” The voice came again cold and emotionless as footsteps echoed from somewhere else in the room.

Sorrel looked around the room hoping to see any form or shadow to indicate what else was in the room with her. The whole situation felt like déjà vu but she couldn’t pin a memory or even a lesson in class that quite matched his scenario. Even her first encounter with the ghost in the Ramshackle Dorm she at least had the light of the moon to guide her.

“Lost in the dark looking for a book.” The voice said as the footsteps became louder.

Grim stiffened seeing something approaching them in the darkness, he growled showing his fangs in a warning.

“And being so cute little rabbit plushy.” There was a hint of a laugh in the dead tone of the stranger “Yes, I do remember someone with such sympathetic vibrations as you.”

Jumping off of Sorrel’s shoulder funding across the table and shot a stream of blue flame. The blue light of the fire revealing a wispy ethereal shadow of a man holding an unlit lantern.

“Careful we wouldn’t want to damage these books now.” The shadow snapped its fingers as the darkness wrapped around Grim’s flames swallowing it like a viper. A blast of wind first hot and then frigid cold rushed at the two.

The frigid wind becoming so strong that Grim couldn’t maintain his footing “Cold!” The cat screamed the scratching of his claws the only indication that he made it to his feet.

Panicked by the attack Sorrel left the rabbit toy in her book bag on the table and ran into the dark library to find her friend. She stumbled through the darkroom objects she touched to anchor herself slipped through her fingers. It all felt surreal to her, the growing chill in the air made her want to scream. She held her tongue, however, knowing that the shadow being lingered ever-present in the black around her.

She moved as quickly as she could looking for the light of Grim’s fire or anything that vaguely looked like the cat’s shape. In other chill wind blasted through the room the sound of turning pages and books tumbling off their stacks echoing like water droplets in a cavern. Sorrel for a brief second thought she felt frost forming on a bookshelf that she managed to hold onto. Before even that dissolved out of her grasp, the chill was becoming painfully unbearable. Her limps becoming weak and aching as her emergency reserves were depleted. Before she could think of a way to escape with the energy, she had left two arms wrapped around her.

“It’s really you. It’s been too long.” He whispered in her as her back was pulled flush against his chest. “Don’t worry I’m here to save you.”

His hold on her was so warm compared to the chill of the realm it felt like it was burning her. Sorrel squirmed weekly against the man too focused on resisting to pay attention to anything he had to say. The gloom and chill of what had once been the library in the heat of her captor only making her more exhausted. A part of her whispering like the man that held her against him to just give up, that someone was pranking her, and if she just passed out, they would stop. She planted her feet firmly on the ground knowing that she couldn't get into such ridiculous thoughts!

“Let me go!” She screamed flinging her head back surprised when it knocked into something solid, hard. Her would-be captor flinched at the impact giving her enough time to pull herself free yanking the lantern with her. The lantern was old and made out of metal that could have been used as a railway beacon.

Shakily on her knees, she stumbled around the lantern until she found the valve to light it. She then found it a knob no bigger than a thumbtack she turned it a bright searing white light igniting within the lantern. Sorrel blinked turning the light away from her to the path of the beam of light revealing the library, solid and real against the blackness. She squinted even noticing the green glow of the lamps in the library still on but smothered by the preternatural blackness at the edges of the beam. It made her realize that the darkness that she had been stumbling through was indeed more than a lack of light and her own disorientation. It was a physical and moving, laying over and snuffing out any potential light around it.

The realization made her stomach turn and she moved the light of the lantern all around frantically using the light as if it was a heavy sword against a dark curtain. In her flailing to expel the writhing darkness, she saw Grim front paws outstretched as he stumbled around in the blackness.

“Grim!”

The gray cat turned his head big blue eyes shining with hope at seeing her. He bound as fast he could a wave of darkness reaching for him. With a leap, he landed on her shoulders sigh and almost purr at seeing her again. His tail twitched for standing on end nudging Sorrel to look back into the darkness behind her. She swung the lantern in the direction the cat on her shoulders was nudging her the bright white light illuminating bookshelves and several lamps, as well as something else.

Skin white as a marble statue, a red sports jacket, and all the tired eyes the color of exhausted coals the reflection light the only hint of life within them. Before Sorrel could determine if the person was a student at the college as a glacial blast of wind swirled up the darkness around them. The vortex became so strong that Sorrel worried about Grim flying off her shoulders. She held on to him dropping the lantern in the process. The beginning fell its light extinguishing with a loud final crack as the darkness in the chill only got stronger.

Then the wind the eased giving out on a sigh, Sorrel could make out the lights behind her shut eyelids “The head master’s office?” She blinked open her eyes looking at the familiar space with its desk and story purple curtains.

Grim muttered and sniffed trying to make sense of the sudden teleportation “How the heck did we get here!” He said completely in shock to realize it wasn’t an illusion.

"My apologies, my dear, I don't know I would ever be able to scare you." The voice of the shadow whispered its breath shuttered as if he was in pain “Soon, you will never have to be afraid ever again, this is my vow.”

A shadow in the corner of the room disappeared like a receding tide revealing Sorrel’s book bag and the stuffed rabbit the room. The movement did not go unnoticed by Grim and Sorrel, the two tensing for another attack. However, no attack came, the only noise that could be heard was the sounds of nighttime leaking in through the windows.

"What a strange ghost," Sorrel said thinking out loud, even though at this point she wasn’t even sure if it was a ghost. Carefully picking up her things noticing tucked within her schoolbooks was an extra one. One with a navy-blue color and spiraling gold trim, her eyes nearly popped out of her head at the sight of it. This is another way for the shadowy thing to apologize? It almost her feel like it actually hadn't intended to hurt her at all, besides being a little creepy.

She put the book on the headmaster’s desk and for the last time situated the rabbit in her bag; hoping that it would at least stay in there for the walk back to her dorm. Grim took the lead as they made their way out of the building, the campus devoid of the sounds of students. They didn’t bother to stop or slow down as they rushed to the dorm. The dim gloom of the night making them fear that the being in the library would strike again.

Standing as a dark shadow in the distance the Ramshackle Dorm was a welcoming sight even with not a single window glowing with light. Sorrel and Grim bounded up the stone pathway to the front door as they got up to the door the froze hearing shuffling from inside. There was someone inside, and after their encounter in the library, there was a firm idea of who or what it could be. With determined books, the girl in the cat nodded to each other as they slowly and quietly as possible enter the building.

“Surprise!” The lights suddenly turned on as a chorus of happy voices called out.

"Happy Unbirthday Sorrel and Grim!”

The dorm lounge was decorated in streamers and banners of every dorm color and balloons and fairy lights bopped against the ceiling in a bright array of colors. Sorrel was shocked at the nearly a dozen smiling faces staring at her and felt like her heart skipped a few beats. She had never expected to see this many of her friends gathered in one place outside of an emergency or school event. Even then she didn’t expect to see all their happy or standing side-by-side each other without getting on each other’s nerves. She could even make out Ortho and Idia in the crowd. Well more like Ortho was there and Idia had his webcam on to wave at her from the tablet screen his little brother was holding.

“Wow a party for us!” Grim smiled with surprise bounding happily into the room to look at all the decorations.

Sorrel just stood there in the doorway a smile forming on her lips as tears rolled down her cheeks “You guys…” She began to laugh even though she couldn’t stop her tears “What’s all this? I don’t understand.”

“Some of us had gotten to talking about birthdays, and no one could recall when yours was.” Ace said seeing that she was confused.

“So, all the dorm’s decided that we’d throw you a party.” Kalim Al-Asim exclaimed with a boyish grin.

“It wasn’t much as we agreed we all to work together, but we wanted to throw you a party that happened to be here.” Leona groused to proud to say that he helped.

“It did feel more like a race to do the most work." Epel mused "I'm surprised it did turn into a chaotic mess."

“All of the dorms helped?” Sorrel asked looking around the room once again.

She could tell that each of the dorms had helped prepare the surprise party, from the decoration to the treats. However, when she looked out at everyone who had come together to attend the surprise party, she noticed a few unmistakable figures missing. She did a double-take of the room knowing the people she was looking for were not exactly one’s to blend in.

“Octavinelle and Diasomnia students left with the headmaster, just before you guys showed up. It looks like they were trying to not be noticed so, I didn’t say anything.” Ortho answered naively tilting his head to figure why she seemed bothered.

“I’m sure it has to do with the ‘special news’ he was yammering about.” Idia sighed.

Sorrel felt the weight taken off her shoulders knowing that Malleus had been waiting for her was involved with making the party possible. It’s also that the list of chores Headmaster Crowley had only been a distraction to keep her from going back to the dorm. She hopes whatever big announcement he had planned was worth everything she’d been after class.

“They’ll be back soon, I’m sure of it.”

“Yes, there’s no reason to keep this party delayed any longer now that Grim and Sorrel are here.”

“Nya!” Grim laughed “Let’s get this party started!”

Sorrel rubbed the tears from her eyes as she fully stepped into the room to join the party with everyone that was there. She was quickly preoccupied with the entertaining tales of everyone trying to set up the party without her noticing. It made her laugh when they would talk over each other to make reactions to how someone was explaining their plan or interrupting to them embellish their roles as more important. Eventually, the storytelling branched off into, games that seemed a little rigged in her favor and dancing that swept away the hours.

Even though she was enjoying herself there was always a strange chill in the air like something was missing or she was being watched it would always make her eyes glanced towards the door. She didn’t want to ruin the fun of everyone that was here to stop everything and see what had happened to the missing guests and headmaster then tried to bring her focus back to the ones that were there. All the while keeping up a thankful smile to show her appreciation for such a wonderful surprise.

Then as the night went on her friends began to leave excusing themselves in ones and twos to return back to their dorms. A few tried to linger on as long as possible chatting with her and playing games into the late hours of the night. Though even they also had to concede to leaving or risk falling asleep on her dorms couch. Sorrel bid them farewell from the porch promising to see them tomorrow as she watched the smiling faces of her friends walk beyond the garden gates of her dorm.

As she stood there on the porch for taking in the shadow of the school as she waited, watching the silhouettes of her and her friends disappear. Her heartfelt small and cold knowing that she was waiting around for nothing, but she waited until the sounds of footsteps disappeared and she was left with the chirping of insects. Then with a great deal of effort, she moved back inside the dorm glancing over her shoulder once or twice, still unable to shake the presents that something should have happened.

When she finally reentered, she couldn't stop herself from getting misty-eyed at what had once remained of the party. Sorrel could still hear the echoing sounds of laughter and roughhousing from the friends she had made at Night Raven College. She could even picture in her head were each of them sat or stood as they tried to get a moment to talk to her by themselves. It made her regret not thinking about taking pictures of it all in the moment to preserve the memory forever.

“What a great party.” Grim said lounging happily on a chair “It so great to feel respected.”

“I'm glad you had a good time," Sorrel said as leaned sleepily against the wall.

“I’m to eat all this left over-I mean put away all this left-over food for later.” He shifted on all four ready to pounce on the nearest nibble of food.

"Well, I'm going to bed." She yawns undoing the last strand of hair from her ponytail “Don't make yourself sick we still have school in the morning." Then moved to go up stair to her dorm room.

“You should open some of your gifts before you fall asleep tonight.” A white chubby ghost appeared when she got to the first landing.

“We moved them up into your dorm so they wouldn’t take up so much space on the main floor.” Another friendly specter appeared on beside the first.

“Gifts?”

Sorrel couldn’t believe that on top of the party, that someone had decided to give her a present as well. Her mind be to race at what could be waiting for her in her room, then moved past the ghost to her fling herself nearly stumbling upstairs to see what was left for her. When she opened the door to her room, she clasped her hand over her mouth, the side of the beautifully wrapped boxes and the glittering bottles and jewelry that were left out in the open nearly making her scream.

She traced the shape of a palm-sized box that was wrapped in a mint green paper with a large chocolate brown had been, the box was so tiny compared to the larger or extravagant gifts. Sorrel couldn’t bring herself to open it, she couldn’t work up the courage to open any of them or examine any of them farther than the lightest touch.

She could clearly tell by the size and shape of each present which of her friends had prepared gifts to her. A fresh wave of tears began to roll down her face as she began to sob covering her mouth as to not concern Grim or anyone that could hear. It made her feel sick and selfish for crying over which should be a happy moment, it wasn't like she had never been given a gift or been to a party before. She squeezed her eyes shut to try to recall her life before, but the more she focused on a singular memory the blurrier and more colorless they were to her mind’s eye.

It almost made her not trust her own mind after all, what was a person without their memories. She opened her eyes to look at the pile of gifts I still wet from crying, at least she knew who she was to her friends. They were her anchor, her mirror in which to judge herself against the world, trusted it as much is the heartbeat she felt in her chest.

Sorrel smiled slightly as she picked up the tiny gift box playing back the memories of her time at Night Raven College. She toyed with the silky brown ribbon as she thought of the times, she had been surprised by people she meant. How she caught glimpses of who they truly were as reach out to them in their darkest moments or when they confided in her when she had been alone with them away from judging eyes.

'You fool, don't lose what you've got here!’ A voice deeper than her subconscious and harsher than her conscience scolded her. The viciousness of the thought made her release the ribbon and shakily put down the gift.

It was a truth that made the sweet surprise she had received to turn bitter, she loved them, all of them. The memories that she had made with her friend at Night Raven College were more valuable than any gift she could receive. So much so to the point, she slammed the door on ever exploring how deep her feelings truly went. Sorrel felt utterly devastated just imagining causing those close to her any more suffering than they had already been through. She’d play dumb and innocent then they would flirt with her, try not to show how their closeness to her made her really feel, bring up how they were friends if there was a hint of any type of romantic gesture.

A part of her told her that all the walls she put up to keep things the way they were more harmful. That being vulnerable and honest for a moment would be less stressful and less painful than that she had been doing. She pushed that selfish idea away know that it would lead to the heartache she feared. Sorrel wanted to keep all her friends, she wanted to live forever in moments like the party she had. She was more than willing to just be one of the guys if it meant that everyone could happy and together, no one getting hurt. At least until graduation, or if she found a way home if that ever happened.

Wasn’t that her plan from the beginning?

Her eyes looked up to the mantle below her bedroom mirror, they are leaning slumped over was the black and white rabbit plushy. Too tired to open her gifts or even change proper sleeping clothes she picked up the stuffed animal and fell onto her bed. Sorrel curled into herself and blankets underneath her as she braced herself for a dreamless sleep.

Downstairs Grim was in heaven munching away at leftover tarts and crisp apple desserts. With a long sniff, he jumped up on a nearby coffee table pushing discarded trays and plates aside to find an unopened box of cookies. He ripped off the top and dived into the box with an eager smile plastered on his face.

The front door creaked open and a young man entered the dorm the sound of his footsteps no louder than the beating of a beetles wings. Pulling off his coat that was dripping as if soaked through from a rainstorm he looked at the room with utter disgust and hatred. He flung the coat away letting it splatter wetly against the wall as he moved further in the building.

Looking down at Grim’s pitchfork tail swishing back and forth in the air just outside the cookie box the stranger rapped on the coffee table like a door. Looming over the cat as it shifted and shuffled his way out of the box.

“I’m almost done eating I swear!” Grim poked his head out of a food container to look at the figure “Wait what are you!” He said of the stranger with a startling recognition.

Without saying a word at the intruder uncorked a bottle of glittering liquid and poured it on Grim’s head with one fluid movement. The substance whistling and murmuring as it splashed down upon the gray furred cat.

“Mrr…” Grim growled as he became drowsy as the liquid fell upon his head in a glittering rain. Then unable to stay conscious he stumbled and fell off the coffee table onto the floor.

Nudging the monster’s head with their shoe the shadowy stranger hummed in satisfaction as they moved up the stairs. All the while the thick in inky ooze dripped from their arms and plopping on the floor in writhing globules destructive magic. Loud crashes echoed from the higher floors of the ramshackle dorm as the living ink congealed together a singular greenish-yellow eye emerging from the substance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the plot can actually start! O (∩_∩) O  
> So, this is just generic theme songs that will be kind of the backbone for the rest of the story. Look at Me Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atkWMA5wmHI  
> Rotten to the Core (David Diaz cover): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hurQxbMsLIg  
> A lot of the way I write is very sound and music inspired, though I don't think I'll be posting links to songs every chapter if there is a character that you would like to know the music inspiration for or if a character actually seeing something in the context of the story I'll leave a link to. Thanks to everyone who read the first chapter it really made my day. O (〃＾▽＾〃) o


	3. It's the Truth! It's Actual!

The hallway to the Headmaster’s office was calm and quiet in the early morning light. The air was cool has ghosts and faculty members moved to get ready for the day ahead of them. Relaxing against the wall Leona rested his eyes as his tail swayed back and forth, it was too early in the morning for his liking more there was something different in the air of the school. Nothing that would set him on high alert, but more a hollowness, and absence of something from his perception. He opened his eye warily at the sound of a largely exaggerated yawn.

“Why do you think the Headmaster called a meeting so early? He knows that we are all up partying last night.” Ruggie put his hands behind his head as he let out another yawn.

The Savannaclaw dorm leader just shrugged his shoulders and said “Let’s hope whatever the emergency is that it can be solved quickly.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t spend the night in the Ramshackle Dorm?”

“What?” Leona glared at the snickering hyena he brought with them.

“You know, to make up for the nights that Sorrel stayed in Savanaclaw.” Ruggie narrowed his eyes is mischievously at the lion man.

“Sh-shut up.” Leona turned his head away a blush darkening his cheeks “I just got the smell of that herbivore out of my room only a few days ago.”

"Aww, I'm just messing around." Ruggie snickered at his upperclassman’s reaction.

Leona grumbled a few choice words under his breath as he closed his eyes. However, any extra rest was short-lived at the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention. Glancing down the hall he saw them, wearing the colors of the Heartslabyul dorm.

“Kingscholar, Bucchi, good morning.” Riddle Rosehearts said in greeting though his face was tired and eyes distracted.

“It’s quite surprised to see you guys here before us.” Trey Clover smiled not at all showing any signs of sleepiness.

“Our honest mistake will make sure we're late next time." Leona straightened up with a sigh.

Riddle’s silver eyes flashed irritably up into the lion man’s green ones, the brief eye contact sending shivers down their spine. Something small enough to not bring up but, niggling enough to throw off their sense of normality. To Leona it had been an absence of something physical in the air, well for Riddle it had been the perplexing feeling of forgetting to take necessary action. However, before either of them could open their mouth to speak about it a new voice came in to interrupt them.

“Good morning everyone!” Kalim walked over to the group with his vice leader by his side “What does the Headmaster want?”

“This is what? The eighth emergency meeting this year?” Jamil complained, “If you have this many emergencies in one year there’s got to be a better way to convey the severity of it.” He nodded to the leaders of Heartslabyul and Savannaclaw with a knowing expression.

Some school emergencies involved drastic temperature changes, while others involved an invasion of ghosts. Whatever had caused the headmaster to summon an emergency was subtle enough that it seemed like only a few were noticing it. It created a physical tension between those who could sense it and those who could not. Which made the actual desire to learn what it could be the farthest thing from the minds of the people standing in front of the door.

“S-so are we waiting for the rest of the dorms or what?” Idia spoke up standing beside the group as if he was always a part of the conversation.

“When did you get here!” Leona growled startled.

“Shroud!” Riddle jumped actually really surprised to see him in person.

“I was actually here before anyone else, I guess my skills in stealth are just that OP.” The flaming haired teen said pulling at the collar of his jacket to hide his face “You might have never noticed me if I didn’t say anything.” He smirked with a hint of smugness in his voice.

“Where is your brother? The headmaster in his message said that we needed to bring somebody that we knew had attended the party last night.” Riddle raised his voice at Idia to take the tension out on the introverted third year.

“He’s still sleeping in; he was up and talking about that party.” Idia answered on a groan “It’s like he wasn’t aware that I was there at too”

“You were on a voice call, that wasn’t the same thing as being there,” Leona commented.

“Y-yes, it is!” Idia muttered looking the floor.

Riddle shook his head disapprovingly knowing that standing around in the hallway would do nothing for the current situation. With Trey at his side, he entered the office of headmaster Crowley and was nearly paralyzed at what they saw when they entered.

In the center of the room the headmaster his face lowered with a stern expression, his attire dirty and torn. Around him sitting or standing in various states of exhaustion where the students of the two dorms that had left with him the night prior.

Azul rubbed a narrow bandage that covered a cut that split one of his eyebrows as he looked to the Leech twins. Floyd was silent as he watched over his brother, who was slouched over an arm in a quickly made sling. Silver, Lilia, and Sebek whispered to each other as the huddled beside the headmaster. While In the far corner of the room behind the headmaster’s desk Malleus watched the entering group with murderous intent.

“What happened to you!” Riddle asked as the other dorm leaders entered to take in the sight of their classmates.

Lilia turned to face the approaching group “Let’s just say I’ve had the first bad night out I’ve in a long time.”

“We were attacked by deeply disturbed ghosts.” Silver said then winced in pain “I can still hear it’s screams.”

“That ghost was a banshee and two murderous spirts with hatchets, there was a phantom lurking around as well.” The headmaster explained looking up at the gathering of students “I could hear it rattling its chain, it must have been lured by the ghost on campus. Phantom’s absorb innocent ghosts with their chains, at least that what I’ve heard.”

“What were you doing attacking monsters like those?” Kalim asked looking at everyone’s dismal expressions.

Azul stopped messing with his bandage straightening up and said “An investigation that went terrible, I had my suspicions that the school was going to be attacked by a rogue sorcerer.” He pushed up his glasses, hiding the storm brewing in his blue eyes. “He was hiding as a vendor though I was not aware that he was coming Sorrel bought something from him it tipped me off.”

“R-right, you keep close tabs on how money changes hands Azul,” Idia said before shrinking away from the group.

“Yes, but the interesting thing about this vendor is that the students we, investigated, said that he had no interest in money.” Azul laced his gloved hands together “Instead the owner was making trades in dreams and memories going as far as to even barter in school gossip.” He recalled.

“That’s when I got involved, it’s one thing to rob students of money, yet such malignant behavior especially from a nonstudent couldn’t be tolerated.” The headmaster asserted himself fully into the conversation. “It was clear that he was fishing information about the school, and that would put everyone in great danger.”

“Is that why you left the party early? To teach that nosy sorcerer to not mess around with Night Raven College?” Leona smirked at the plan.

“Why indeed, the plan was to interrogate and scare off the suspect before rejoining the party.” Dire Crowley said before losing all composure “Instead we were attacked, and the culprit got away, worst of all I wasn’t able to tell everyone the good news!” He began to openly weep at the end of his sentence.

There were numerous groans of disappointment, and concerned glances rippled throughout the room. The revelations between the headmaster and the Octavinelle dorm leader did not leave a strong sense of what to do in their minds. If the rogue sorcerer had escaped then there was nothing to do besides wait to see if they’ll turn up again unless they want to completely lock down the school. As for the ghosts and the supposed phantom that had attacked the night before there was no way to investigate until there were signs that they were still lingering around.

The sound of hisses and screams punctuated by the sounds of footsteps made everyone in the office turn to the door. Vil Schoenheit walked in a holding Grim by the collar like a squirming garbage bag. There was a deranged panic in his eyes as he looked at the room before tossing the gray cat to the floor.

“Your late!” Riddle said utterly baffled by the head of Pomefiore dorms sudden and ungraceful entrance.

“Tell them what you told us; you trash cat!” Vil spat out the words like venom before turning to head back down the hall.

“I was going to!” Grim growled getting to his feet “Trash Cat…” His tail flopping down at the insult.

“Get back here! You just can’t storm in and out like that!” Riddle gritted his teeth at being so blatantly ignored “Off with your!” The redheaded magician stopped mid-spell at what he heard Grim say at the same second.

“Sorrel’s been taken!”

A second of silence swept through the room. 

No one moved or made a sound the meaning of those words settled in minds like a lump of cold iron. The chill became electric as everyone began to move all at once. Students and headmaster alike shoving each other out the way and nearly stepping on Grim as they ran down the hall.

The gray furred monster was barely able to keep at the heels of the group. He hung close to Dire Crowley as each of the young men broke off to go in their own separate directions to reach their destination the fastest. The skin under his fur prickled as he swallowed and fear of what was to come when would arrive at the Ramshackle Dorm.

｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡

The entranceway of the dormitory was a harsh sight as first the group that arrived at the Ramshackle Dorm. From the unfastened door to the back walls of the lounge, furniture and heard wallpaper lay across the floor. An uneasy miasma filled the space that only the night before, held the light and happiness. Viscous oily substances squished under the shoes of the dorm leaders and their companions as they ventured further in the building.

The investigation started slowly as they each of the young men with wide eyes unable to take in the sight. Chairs were overturned legs and snapped pictures ripped from the row places on the wall painted over with a bubbling black ink. The stairway up to higher floors was slick with the substance while the support banister was caved in. The smell lingering in the air far worse than the scent of dust and age that had once claimed the building and its abandoned days. As the second scraped on and more began to arrive the search moved away from the lounge and to other parts of the dorm. The damage was just as severe the more of the dorm was searched.

In the second-floor hallway Rook gazed over the damages with sharp eyes “This isn’t the type of damage that occurs during a struggle. Whoever was here porously went out their way to destroy the dorm.” He said to his dorm leader who was leaning in the doorway of the bathroom.

“Seems somebody had a vendetta against mirrors as well.” Vil nodded holding the shards of what had once been a com cautiously in his fingers “Everything with a reflective surface seems to be smashed.” He turned what remained of the golden handle to catch a fragment of his overawed expression.

Further in the dormitory Kalim and Jamil stood in the doorway of Sorrel’s room. The damage was minimal compared to the ruin of the rest of the dormitory that made the things that were damaged all the more pronounced. The mirror wasn’t just shattered but its shards were purposely strewn throughout the floor, the bed frame was snapped as the sheets were stained with black ink like scars from a much larger creature. The pile of gifts had been toppled over some of the contents of the beautifully wrapped boxes damaged, snaped, or rendered unusable by the ink.

“Why would someone do this! It’s terrible!” Kalim leaned against the door frame his skin turning ashen as he started to feel ill.

The vice dorm leader of Scarabia was steadier on his feet as he attempted to investigate the room, but eventually could not stand the site himself saying: “Why her, out of all the students… she didn’t deserve this.” He turned away unable to let himself even think about what had happened in that room under the quiet of the night.

Tucked away in one of the dormitory hallways Leona leaned against the wall with his eyes, tail swishing irritably. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he breathed in the air, looking for something that could be seen. He was looking for Sorrel’s scent as much as he didn’t want to be used as a bloodhound if he could just pick up her trail, he’d also know the scent of the one who took her. No matter how much he focused he couldn’t smell her not in the way that it was masked by the ink or the motions of the others that were investigating, but something else, an absence that was a familiar chill down his spine.

He swung his arm against the wall hard in irritation, this dorm was her home, yet it was as if she had never stepped with its walls. His arm convulsed with pain as he felt the splinter of the walls crumbled down his sleeve and between his fingers cursing under his breath.

Standing at the entrance of the stairway Azul is a realization almost made him double over from pain “She’s gone. That bastard!” He clenched his fists “The ghosts were just a distraction!” Anger swirled to drown out the guilt he felt that the realization. The fact that he had fallen victim to even a small part of the scheme that gotten Sorrel kidnapped made the last interaction he had with her all the more bitter.

Riddle who had been observing each of the rooms with a calm stone-faced expression stopped overhearing Azul. “She really has been taken…this is unacceptable!” His hands shook as tears began to pour from his eyes “Whoever did this will pay for their crimes!”

Lilia who had been diligently watching over Silver and Malleus turned his head with concern at Riddle’s screaming. Only to become distracted once more as he noticed that a person was missing from the last time he did a headcount of the young men within the dorm. “Were did Idia go?” He asked aloud not really expecting much of an answer.

“I’d give him a moment.” Ruggie whispered peering out the widow as Lilia joined him “He’s a bit of a hot mess.” He cringed realizing what he said.

Lilia sighed as he saw Idia burning as large and bright as a funeral pyre a spiral of red angry flame that reached nearly the treetops. He was concerned that the poor boy would burn himself up to ashes the rate he was going, however with more important obligations still within the house he didn’t feel the need to rush out to stop him. He had to be at least grateful that Idia seemed to have gotten him a safe distance away from the dormitory that his panic attack wouldn’t derail those who were trying to investigate.

Looking back into the lounge he noticed the shapes of his wards entering from downstairs. Malleus nodded when he made eye contact with him the dorm leader holding something within his pocket protectively. Lilia should have had felt relieved by the subtle movement the only sign in what felt like hours that not all hope was lost, at least for the four in the Diasomnia dorm. However, the look at fire of Malleus’s own rage and anguish in his eyes that they were completely out of the woods just yet.

“This is terrible, never in all my years of being the headmaster has a student been so violently kidnapped!” Sobbed the headmaster who had been the last two enter the dorm with Grim at his side “What I’m I to do!”

“It seems the only responsible thing to do is to get the authorities from the nearest town involved.” Lilia advised, “Perhaps then we can launch a search for Sorrel with their help.”

There was a shift in the air as others heard the advice that was given to the headmaster. It was a safe and sound plan, but it felt like giving up and putting the safety and life of their friend into the hands of strangers.

Crowley shook his head and said “I do not think that’s possible. Even if I were to give the authorities the description of that rogue sorcerer we’ll never be approved for an official search for Sorrel.”

“Uh, why not?” Grim tilted his head curious about the headmaster’s certainty on the matter.

“I have my suspicions, mainly because of Sorrel being not of this world and ore only suspect, the vendor from yesterday, having magic I’ve never seen before.” The headmaster said to the dismay to looks at the other students that were beginning to enter the lounge after giving up their searches “I feel like the justices that get involved in this case might interpret this as a rescue from a residence of her realm.”

“Little shrimp went home?” Floyd asked sorrowfully before his eyes growing cold and sharp “That would be a lie though…”

“This was a kidnapping if Sorrel had gone home, she would’ve told someone.” Grim puffed his chest at the headmaster’s sudden resignation “If we cannot get official help then, I’ll for her myself.”

“Of course, I’m sure a lot of students would be more than willing to volunteer Grim.” Currently gave the cat a small smile patting him on the head “After it’ll be the perfect goodbye present sense you will not be able to continue attending classes next semester.”

“What do you mean?” Grim asked feeling like a break had been dropped on his head.

“I had both you and Sorrel counted as one student and long as she is not here you are missing one-half of the requirements to make your enrollment to be official.” The headmaster explained his smile wavering slightly “Don’t worry if you can’t find another place to live there is still a position as a school handyman available.”

“Noo! We have to find her! I can’t become a powerful magician if I become a janitor.” Grim cried out as the full implication of the Sorrel’s abduction set in.

“Good to know where your loyalties lie.” Ruggie snickered at Grim’s expression.

“What are you trying to say!” Grim crossed his arms defensively.

The headmaster tapped his claw fingers as thought stuck him. “That reminds me? Ghost, ghosts appear at once!”

A breeze wafted through the room as three pale ghosts appeared their forms wavering, their faces warped with fear. 

“W-we’re sorry we tried to stop the monsters!” The first of the ghosts pleaded with the room.

“There were just so many!” Another begged.

“Monsters?”

“Monsters!” The ghosts shivered as the question was repeated by everyone throughout the room.

“We managed to wrangle them up in the kitchen.” The thinnest of the trio answered.

“They are awful! We almost fled to the afterlife they’re so scary.”

Conscious to the ghost's warning, but unhindered by the danger Malleus moved to the kitchen door. His movement was calm and purposeful that the others in the room didn’t immediately register where he was heading.

“Don’t go in there!” Silver moved to block his way putting himself between the door and Malleus.

The dragon fae looked down at Silver blocking his path as his hand ever so slightly reaching for his magic pen. He looked at the young man his eyes glancing at the others who had become suspicious his mouth twitching ever so slightly. Then in a flurry of sparkling lights, Malleus disappeared in front of the eyes of everyone in the lounge.

The sound of crashing from beyond the kitchen door signaled exactly where he went causing the closest of the group to the kitchen to burst their way through the door. The uneasy aura that had permeated the rest of the dorm flooded out of the room. The sharp sound of growls and gurgling screeches punctuated the bright bursts of magic that came from Malleus. A sickening splatter of black gushed across the wooden floor as the group entered.

The black substance that had sustained the rest of the dorm and dripped over paintings was alive in the kitchen. Bubbling and squirming they wriggled together like slugs to form green-eyed monsters that popped out of the floors and walls.

The creatures were pitiable malformed beings of ink, spindly limbs that went to bloated hands and feet. Their extended upper jaw trembled as their swollen mucus colored eyes were wide with fear at the vengeance that was being rained down upon them by the fae prince. Yet despite how many times they were splattered squished or even frozen the monsters reformed only to meet their demise once again.

“Draconia! Stop!” Azul pushed his way through to the front of the group.

“Why should I? These things destroyed this dorm, they are complicit in what happened here last night.” Malleus growled; fingers of green flames flickered at the corner of his mouth. He did look the other dorm leader in the face as he turned back to finish what he started.

The monsters terrified of the continued agony he would inflict upon them scrambled into the oven and freezer squeezing themselves into cabinets to avoid his wrath.

“They’re our only lead on what happened to Sorrel!” Azul shouted over the protests of the others in the room. His head splitting from the pain of the battle the night before which hindered him from thinking clearly enough to do put up a convincing argument.

“It’s clear they’re not capable of speech, they won’t be able to help us at all. So, they might as well die.” Malleus shrugged off the concerns of everyone revenge the only thing consuming his thoughts.

“Don’t be so foolish!” Azul yelled fed up with Malleus’s blind stubbornness. Then when Malleus refused to face him a blinding rage filled his vision as he cast a spell at the fae.

Malleus blocked encountered the attack as if planning for Azul to strike him while his back was turned. The temperature shifted violently as the air became unbreathable as the two dorm leaders stared each other down. The negative energy whipping through the room like a hurricane a clear warning of what was to come. In the narrow space of the kitchen, the other students were only able to do their best to physically restrain two as they traded blows.

“Enough!” The headmaster shouted using his whip to disarm the dorm leaders of Diasomnia and Octavinelle. “Is this how you to behave in a crisis, did you forget that you were fighting by each other side hours ago!”

No one in the group of young men spoke up against the headmaster, his words cutting the spiral of negative emotions that had filled the room into a sense of shame. Lying on the floor shining brightly against the spatters of ink where their magic pens, the magic crystals of which were filled with swimming dark splotches. 

It was clear that if the fight between the two dorm leaders had gone any further, they would have become Overblot. If that had become a reality the two of them would’ve possibly thought until the dorm and maybe the entire college campus caved in on itself. Azul looked at his pen and felt his knees gave out at the realization, thankfully he didn’t collapse to the floor to do the others holding him up. Malleus on the other hand stood still as a statue as he stared at his magic crystal, not showing a signal ounce of what he felt inside.

“If this wasn’t a stressful situation in which a fellow classmate’s life might be on the line, I would expel you for your actions!” Crowley looked at Azul and Malleus with the expression of someone who had truly expected better from the two.

“Um hey.” A voice called from the hallway to the dorm kitchen “Sorry to interrupt the important character moment but…”

Fiery blue hair still holding the hint of the red and gold that had been there when he had stepped outside. Idia looked at the mess of the kitchen standing there with the few others that hadn’t been able to get in the kitchen. He grinned like a piranha after feeding time as he had clearly watched everything that had gone down from a distance.

“They don’t have talk to get answers out of them.” Idia’s smile rivaled the maws of sharks as he looked into the kitchen “Take those grease balls to the alchemy lab!” He laughed as his eyes fell on one of the cowering the inky monsters.

｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡

[Castle of ???]

Sorrel woke up feeling awful and puny as she squeezed her eyes shut against the morning light. The night of dreamless had not been as restful as she thought. It felt like all the energy was sapped out of her as she floated in a dark pool of liquid in her own mind. It was unnerving neither sinking or swimming or even drowning, as she was robbed of sensation besides the beating of her own heart. She tossed and turned grasping for the stuffed rabbit doll or even a pillow. The bed while comfortable felt strange and unfamiliar, it was almost too soft and fluffy and the warmth of it made her want to fall back to sleep. Just a little longer she assured herself, she’d get back up when Grim told woke her up again. Though try as she might reach for something soft to hold onto the bed just seemed to stretch like a sea of blankets and sheets. Then with an exhale of breath unable to fall back to sleep she opened her eyes.

Her chest lurched at what she saw, the light she thought came from the widow of her dorm was indeed sunlight, but not from her dorm window. She sat up looking at the frosted windows decorated with stained glass mosaics of blue trees and a haloed paintbrush tipped with green paint. Carefully getting out of bed she tried to take in her surroundings without making a sound, the opulence and design of the room made her think that somebody must’ve moved her to a spare room at Pomefiore dorm. However, she felt that wasn’t the case as she put her feet to the cold polished floor, everything from the grand fireplace to the drapes felt old yet carefully maintained. It was like in a museum exhibit and soon some guards were going to rush in and arrest her for sleeping on a priceless artifact. She moved to a set of glass doors that looked like it led to a balcony and stepped outside.

Sorrel couldn’t believe her eyes, she must have gotten through her dreamless phase of sleep and managed to create an actual dream. It was the only explanation that made sense as she stared out at what seemed like miles of pristine green hills that faded off into white fluffy clouds. Bracing herself against the breeze that greeted her when she leaned over the edge of the balcony, she could see that she was high up in some sort of castle, not a dorm built to look like one of even the labyrinthian castle structure of Night Raven College’s main building. She was undoubtedly from what she could examine from her vantage point she was in a castle that could hold the entire campus of her school and it can still have room to put the dorms within its wall.

“Oh, goodie you’re okay!”

A cheerful female voice made Sorrel jump as she heard the sounds of a distant door open and close.

Standing in the doorway of the balcony was something that made Sorrel gasp and gripped the stone railing she was leaning against. The creature reminded her somewhat of the rabbit doll as it looked like the approximation of a cat with distinct human qualities. The cat’s black tail under its pink skirt bobbed happily along with the daisy that was atop a matching hat. The cat stared up at her barely coming up to her knees as Sorrel recoiled in shock.

“Shh!” The cat held up her hands to try to seem less threatening “It’s okay, don’t be frightened!” She tried to say soothingly that was clearly concerned by Sorrel’s distress.

Sorrel mind raced not exactly afraid the completely overwhelmed “Grim!” She shouted hoping that the cat monster she was used to would somehow appear. “Where am I!?”

“Do you not know? You don’t know.” The anthropomorphic cat slapped her cheeks in shock at her realization “Of course, you don’t this castle didn’t exist when you lived here ten years ago.”

Sorrel shook her head at what the black cat had said to her. Her living in a castle when she was like what six or seven? Sure, and she had been purposely not using magic at night Raven College because she just wanted to hide how powerful she was this whole. What an absolute delusion of a dream she had managed to fall into this time!

Not wanting to startle herself awake by taking a high dive off the balcony she pushed the anthropomorphic cat aside to escape. Her bare feet slipping against the polished stone slightly as she made it to the door of the room and headed out into the hall.

“Please don’t run!” The cat called after her “Phooey.”

Sorrel bolted down the hallway not stopping to take in the scenery, she was given a weird sense of déjà vu as she heard the skirt wearing cat chasing after. It made her worry that this was in some way real, real as the night she woke up at Night Raven College. Then another thought hit her, even if this place was real, she still couldn’t trust anyone here either. After all, the cat acted like she knew her, and while Sorrel wasn’t scared of the cat, she didn’t recognize her either in the slightest.

Quickly as she could duck turn a corner into a branching path of the castle hoping to find stairs or some type of door outside. Instead, she froze as a little girl dressed in a soft pink gown appeared in front of her from a side door. The girl was young almost elementary school age, with brown hair and a round innocent face. Then the child was Sorrel and her sweet expression turned into one of fear.

“Ekk! A boy!” The girl squealed as if Sorrel was a giant spider.

“Help me!” Sorrel said it to panicked to correct the child “I keep getting taken to strange worlds, I need to get back.” She stopped unsure of how to explain where she needed to go back to. Her lips were ready to say ‘home’, her mind knew that she meant to return to the dorm she had fallen asleep in.

“umm-aa-umm.” The little girl mumbled as she started to walk slowly backward.

“Clarice!” The voice of the cat echoed and was getting louder. “Don’t let Sorrel get lost, okay!”

“No, no!” Sorrel panicked “Please just help me hide.”

“Keep her still dear.” Sorrel could hear the cat’s voice as if she was standing right behind her.

The little girl, Clarice shook her head so afraid she was going to cry. Then running past Sorrel hugged the cat and hid behind her. “Ortensia who is this scary boy!” ask asked the cat.

Letting out a groan of irritation Sorrel decided to continue running away taking the first flight of stairs down that she could find. She didn’t slow her steps even when she couldn’t hear the cat or anything besides her own footsteps. Her heart was pounding so badly it hurt and she relented to entering the first unlocked door she came a crossed. The room was dark and from what she could tell it was some sort of children’s room from the shadows of toys and small beds that dotted the room.

She slumped down against the door, as she took deep breaths sat on the floor. Sorrel let her eyes adjust to the darkness she could finally make out the shape of the mirror and frowned at what she saw within. She could see why Clarice thought that she was a boy just by the shadow of her reflection. Barefoot in a crumpled boy’s uniform and messy hair sticking out every which way, totally removed from the scared little girl in a ceremonial robe all those months ago. At least one thing didn’t change she seemed skilled at running away no matter what world she was in. Her eyes watered wondering what was going to happen to her now, she couldn’t keep running away like a mouse in this massive castle forever.

There was a shuffling within the room and Sorrel stiffened in fear, she hadn’t thought that someone would be in the room with her. There was a tiny yawn and the light sound of hopping as a small shadow approached her. Sorrel suppressed a squeal as the shadow became more defined revealing to rabbit ears and a puffball tail. The funny almost look like the doll she had bought the other day but in actual rabbit with tiny front paws and large back feet. Its coat was a peculiar baby blue color as its large black eyes blinked at her sleepily.

“Hey, little bunny thing.” She said in a soothing sing-song voice hoping that the bunny didn’t make a noise “I’m hiding so don’t make any noise please.” It was had to believe that she was trying to bargain with the bunny of all things.

The blue bunny lowered and sniffed her hopping closer looking up at her with confusion and it’s big dark eyes. The bunny snapped and pulled at her pant leg trying to pull itself up to get a better look at her. Then with a squeaky huff just placed its head against her leg it’s small front power as stretching out against her.

“Okay, sure thing, we can cuddle.” She scooped the bunny into her lap “Just don’t cry, do anything loud.”

With a small coo, the bunny blinked up at her and licked the sleeve of her uniform appreciatively. Sorrel chuckled at the cute little bunny and wondered if she could keep it, perhaps it could be heard equivalent to Grim in this strange place. Though as she put more thought into it the more, she realized that she missed the gray monster cat already. She blinked as she heard more shuffling and yawns from within the room.

Another bunny approached her with the same baby blue coat who happily joined besides the first. Then more appeared some with lime green coats or cream white fur cooing and giggling happily as they moved to Sorrel's side. Though when she thought it was over more of the technicolored bunnies appeared piling on her like ants swarming a delicious treat. She squirmed as she became almost up to her neck in giggling little rodents.

“What are you doing?” Sorrel wanted to stand up but was trapped between the weight of all the bunny is and feeling of her being lifted by their paw “Hey put me down!” She yelled being completely lifted up by the regiment of bunny children.

They paraded her around the room giggling and squealing as she fought to get out of there hold. The bunnies were having so much fun laughing as if it was the first joke they heard in the years. The door swung open just been in the flood of bunnies rushed out into the hall carrying a defenseless Sorrel in tow. The matter how much she struggled she didn’t seem to be able to quite shake him off and she didn’t have the heart to hurt any of them out were right. Maybe if she just let them have their fun and ran around the castle with her, they might accidentally lead her to an exit.

Her suspicion was quickly confirmed as they burst into a large ballroom with the massive stained-glass portraits. The bunnies effortlessly tossed her into the room scattering into every corner in a rainbow burst of squeals and giggles.

Unfortunately for Sorrel the ballroom will was packed men and women in extravagant outfits of every time and culture, many of which she didn’t recognize. She resigned herself to laying on the floor as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She guessed that she deserved to be caught in such an outrageous manner by putting her trust in such cute little creatures. It almost made her want to laugh and she could feel her shoulders shaking voluntarily at the absurd situation she created for herself.

Why did she have to run away certainly she could play dumb for that pink skirt-wearing cat? Maybe then she wouldn’t be way over her head and slip away without being noticed. 

“What is going on!” The crowd of people parted is something made its way through the crowd. “Sorrel?” A voice asked familiar though she couldn’t put a name to it asked.

Reluctantly and painfully slow Sorrel looked up at the voice, the muttering voices from the crowd around her making it nearly impossible for her to play dead. She got to her knees embarrassment and shame turning into one of outright confusion. It was like the rabbit doll she bought had come to life! Staring down at her with the same big black eyes as the bunny children the rabbit looked at her with an expression of concern and mortification.

The rabbit shook his head to put his hands on his hips and puffed up his chest like a balloon. Then exhaled his ears flopping to the side of his head before extending a hand out to her. “You look like a mess, let’s get you back to your room.”


	4. Something There That Wasn’t There before.

Life wasn’t easy for Grim, his earliest memories were of waiting for someone in the cold bitter rain who never came. The whole world was against him and his goal of becoming the world’s greatest magician. When he joined forces with his first, only, henchmen things turned around for him, it really felt like his dreams are coming true. He got carried around everywhere by Sorrel and she made sure that he ate before her, sometimes even scratch the itch is he couldn’t quite reach with his paws. Then he lost her, he let her guard down and got taken by some haughty rogue sorcerer. What type of all-powerful magician was he if he couldn’t protect his minions in their time of need? He swore the moment he remembered the face of the one that took Sorrel he would hunt him down and make him pay so the world knew never to mess with what was his!

“Hey, Grim!”

Grim’s fur prickled at the sound of Ace’s voice, looking over the shoulder down the hall he could see the redhead with Deuce right at his side as always. It had been a couple days since what had gone down at the Ramshackle Dorm and he wasn’t sure how much they knew and judging by the smiles on their faces Riddle had not yet broken the news to them.

“Uh?” Grim turned to face them “Hey guys?”

“What up with Sorrel?” Ace asked when he got closer to the cat “She hasn’t been to her classes or around campus.”

“Oh, she’s not feeling well.” The cat monster said trying to act natural though his tail twitched nervously.

“We’re coming over to see her after class today,” Deuce said and not even proposing it as a question.

“I wouldn’t do that whenever she’s got, I think it’s contagious.” Grim did his best to take a cough “See I probably got what she has already.”

“We’ll risk it.” The dark-haired boy responded.

“No, no you really can’t!”

Ace furrowed his eyebrows at Grim’s reaction “Why not?”

“Because the dorms still very dirty after the party the other day, I’m sure she be so embarrassed.” Grim started to pace around looking for a clean getaway “You two should really let her rest.”

“What’s going on?” Deuce’s eyes bore into the cat “You’re acting very suspicious Grim.”

“Are you hiding something from us? You are!” Ace sneered angrily at the monster for trying to leave them on.

“Oh, look at the time! Got to get to class!” Grim quickly said his goodbyes as he bolted down the hall as fast as he could.

The two boys from Heartslabyul chased after Grim with a vengeance, they had been through the monster’s shenanigans far too many times before to let him getaway. Grim on the other hand ran as his life depended on it because he knows he had to break the news to Ace and Deuce about what happened to Sorrel he’d be skinned alive. He already felt so guilty about getting surprised by the kidnapper and was already going to suffer the consequences if there wasn’t a way to bring her back. 

“Caldron!”

The moment Grim heard the word it was too late for him to dodge the attack. The large black cauldron a smash down on the cat monster pinning him to the ground. Not willing to give up so easily grim squirmed and wiggled under the metal cauldron in a futile attempt to escape.

Ace glared down at grim with his bright red eyes as he pulled the cat out from under the cauldron by his neck. He shook Grim like an old dusty toy before meeting him eye to eye, completely done with playing games.

“Put me down!” Grim cried hate being held by the scruff of his neck like he was some type of baby.

“Tell us what’s going on first!” Ace said shaking Grim again.

“Put me down!” Grim squirmed.

“What’s going on here?” Jamil walked over to the three of them completely distracted by the scene they were making.

“Grim’s acting weird, like more than normal.” Deuce crossed his arms as the vice leader of Scarabia looked at them.

“He won’t give a straight answer on whats happening with Sorrel.” Ace said squeezing Grim tighter “The raccoons’ obviously hiding something.”

“Ouch, ouch, ouch!” Grim screamed, “Please put me down it’s getting hard to breathe!”

Jamil let a puff of air out between his lips as he stared at the three of them “I’m totally concerned about her too.” He said before giving a cold glared to Grim “Can you look me in the eye so I can be serious with you two for a moment.”

Grim coughed as the grip on his neck tightened his vision getting blurry with tears. He was going to be made into a pair of furry mittens now that Jamil was going to reveal everything.

“Nobody’s quite sure about what happened to Sorrel, so it would be for the best if you put the raccoon down and go throughout your day normally,” Jamil said his voice a little quieter than before a whisper for Deuce and Ace’s ears only. “You can ask your dorm later about it if you happen to run into him.”

“Yes.” The two of them said in unison, Ace dropping Grim and leave down the hall to their classes.

“Really?” The monster cat groaned as he rubbed his collar. He was upset that Jamil had used his unique magic to get rid of the two that had been harassing him.

“What? I have my hands full with Kalim, he won’t do anything but worry and cry about her.” Jamil shrugged unashamed of what he had done “Plus, those two can be rather destructive when it comes to Sorrel’s protection.”

“So, you’re saying you don’t care about her!” Grim crossed his paws over his furry chest.

“I’m trying to stay productive and calm about it!” The Scarabia vice leader hissed offended by the cat’s accusation “There won’t be any chance of finding her if everyone starts panicking, I’ve actually been helping Idia, and Othro study those monsters the culprit left behind.”

Grim’s ears perked up in surprise at his reaction he wasn’t aware how much Jamil and the others were doing to find their friend. It made the monster cat feel more guilty about moping and waiting around for better news.

“That’s actually why I came looking for you, we discovered something important about the little freaks.” Jamil said before motioning for Grim to follow him “Come on I’m sure everyone’s already in the lab.”

The alchemy lab was bustling as if there were a full class, dorm leaders, and those who had been made aware of the news looking at the front of the room expectantly. Grim entered his fur nearly standing on edge with the friction that everyone seemed to give off in their lab coats. In the front of the room taking the place of a professor was the shroud brothers, the older of the two of them refusing to look at the group that had gathered. Besides them was a rocking metal grated dog cage where the ink creatures were being stored.

The creatures within the thrashed and tried to reach out with a means of escape their yellow eyes narrowed, teeth gnashing at the bars. There were more than just the spindly legs creatures with swollen eyes in the cage, the ink monsters had taken other shapes each oily and malformed. One form was just a massive viable that stood on jellylike arms, another had the wings of a fly and a singular appendage that grasped at the bars. Grim licked the corner of his mouth instinctually, as disgusting as they looked, they also smelt absolutely delicious to him.

“They’re so aggressive.” Rook said more amused than startled at the monster’s behavior.

“It’s actually the lab coats that we’re wearing, they seem to become more violent just seeing one,” Jamil explained putting on his own.

“Then why are you all wearing one!” Grim said

“It’s to keep you safe, the monsters can corrode through mostly anything through a substance under their flesh,” Ortho answered the monster cat cheerfully.

“Like acid?”

“Worse, acid can be stopped by balancing out it’s PH, this stuff doesn’t stop until its dries.” Ortho continued “Water doesn’t do anything to it either.”

Azul shook his head not seeing the value in the information “So, is that your big discovery? Not exactly helpful in finding Sorrel.”

“No…” Idia whispered before saying a little louder “Can someone tell the normies what I discovered.”

“Which one big bro?” Ortho whispered.

“Fine, I’ll do it.” Jamil said becoming impatient “These things are Blots.”

There was a murmur of disbelief from the group of young men, some even shifting in their seats to move further away from the cage. Out of all the potential explanations for the creatures that had invaded the Ramshackle Dorm Blots hadn’t been there first guess. 

“That is certainly a revelation if it were true,” Vil said dismissively even as he took a second glance at the ink creatures.

“Blots like the dots that appear in our magical gems?” Kalim asked weakly staring at the monster is oblivious.

“These things contain such a strong amount of magic and negative energy…it’s essentially all they are.” Idia explained the best he could his voice continuing to trail off “Which is probably the reason there so single-mindedly focused on destruction...”

“When we take care of ourselves properly and don’t overexert their magic Blots, just disappear, they certainly don’t become these things.” Riddle to skeptical to take the information at face value “Even if Sorrel’s kidnapper had gone Overblot, the corruption wouldn’t create multiple creatures like these.”

“Big brother thought of that too!” Ortho said delighted “That’s why our current running hypothesis is that perhaps our culprit’s unique magic is to be able to remove Blots from themselves. The side effect of which would be a physical manifestation of the negative energies somewhere else.”

“The guy in the flying machine shop was using a lot of magic, perhaps he was purposely building up Blot so he could use them to create these monsters.” Grim thought aloud getting him a few side-eye stares from some of the dorm leaders.

“Should we tell them what else we learned big brother?” Ortho asked suddenly excited moving closer to his brother’s side.

Idia sighed doing his best to hide the smile on his face “Might as well, you and Jamil get the mirror, I’ll handle the cage.” He said in a hushed voice.

“What are you doing?” Leona asked as he watched the three students that had been explaining the creatures now pull out a full-length mirror.

Idia stood beside the cage kneeling and ready at the latch of the door. Waiting for the signal from Jamil and his little brother he undid the latch of the door being careful to hold the door close until the right moment. Then getting the thumbs-up from the two holding the mirror he opened the door just long enough for a singular monster to squeeze through.

“It's loose!”

The room erupted in panicked voices as the giant eyeball let out a bug-like chirp and rolled and bounced around the room. Magic spells were flung wildly in attempts to both corral the creature and maneuver away from it, the creature equally as panicked until its singular gaze fell upon the mirror. Tucking in its jellylike limb the gigantic eyeball close itself shut and rolled at the mirror as if it was a ball that had been kicked. Instead of smashing into the mirror the living corrupted magic went through the mirror as if nothing was there disappearing into it.

“Look quick!” Ortho waved everyone over, the mirror rippling as an image distorted within its frame.

The young man who had startled into standing rushed and shoved at each other to get a good view of the mirror. The reflective surface moved to like upon that had a large stone tossed into it causing the image within to warp and wane. Slowly the mirror calmed and stilled revealing a long corridor with floors and walls made from dark grayish stone. The hallway was dark cast in the area light of green-tinted windows making everything else within cast a large sinister shadow. Those who had seen the image at its clearest held their breaths as they looked for any identifying features before dissolved in the back into their own reflection.

“Was that hallway of a castle?” Ruggie blinked staring dumbly at the reflections of everyone in the mirror

“Didn’t look like any of the hallways from the dorms, it disappeared too quick to make out anything properly,” Riddle said lightly tapping at the mirror as if the image would return.

“That’s because it’s not on campus. It’s another world!” Idia gave a toothy grin as he relocked the cage.

“Another world!”

The group of young men looked at each other in disbelief and skepticism. Though none of them could bring up a better explanation for what the creature had done to a non-enchanted mirror.

“That seems like enough proof for me, wherever these little Blot monsters go might be where our culprit went as well.” Lilia said much more agreeable to the sight that he had witnessed “After all the headmaster said the vendor wielded a type of magic that he’d never seen before.”

“There is a chance that we might be able to find Sorrel in this other world?” Trey asked stealing glances back at his reflection.

“We should at least try to follow one to see what’s on the other side.” Leona said a sense of finality in his words. his eyes glancing at Azul and Malleus, the other two dorm leaders keeping their distance from each other even while trying to view the mirror.

“Not under my supervision you won’t!”

“Crowley!” Everyone within the room looked in the direction of the headmaster’s voice.

Dire Crowley stood in the doorway of the alchemy lab arms crossed over his chest “I knew that you were going to dissect those creatures to get answers on your missing friend, but to blindly rush into another dimension and put yourselves in danger.” He shook his head disdainfully at the group “could you imagine the uproar if you all suddenly disappeared. I haven’t even finished out writing the report of what happened to the poor girl and here you all are wanting to add more to the list of missing students.”

Grim wined and rushed to the headmaster’s feet “But, headmaster this is our only lead, my future is the world’s greatest magician depends on finding her!”

“Absolutely not! The headmaster did not budge on his decision.

The emotions that had ran high with fear and excitement at the discoveries made moments before, crashed into a brick wall at Crowley's stubbornness. Their only lead, the only hope of retrieving their lost friend denied to them with a simple intrusion. Glances were made at one another; one wrong word would turn a simple refusal to go forward with an idea, to the headmaster punishing all of them. Many thoughts danced through each of their heads on how to move forward, yet none of them dared make a move. None of them except that dorm leader of Scarabia.

“Headmaster I don’t think you quite understand the opportunity we have here.” Kalim smiled disarmingly at the headmaster “You are denying us, no, denying Night Raven College a place in the history books.”

“Excuse me?”

“The Shroud siblings have just made a historical discoveries about the Blots.” The red-eyed boy explained moving to the headmaster’s side “Now the school has an opportunity to do an expedition into another dimension.”

Azul grinned quickly picking up on the other dorm leader's plan “Imagine the more research we could do if we got more of these monsters.” He said helping with the sales pitch like the entrepreneur he was “The questions that have stumped magicians and sorcerers for ages revealed, by your students. Let’s not mention the other discoveries we could make and the rewards and money that we would get if we did so.”

“I see…” Crowley put it a hand on his chin as he thought about it.

“The prestige would be gained would set us far beyond any rival school, all thanks to your generous decision to let some students travel to another world.” Kalim laughed acting completely unaware “Perhaps bringing back some treasures as well.”

The others in the room did their best to stop from snickering, the con would be up if any of them gave away what was happening. The headmaster’s golden eyes were becoming dim with honest contemplation at the two dorm leaders’ suggestions. Then with a snap of his fingers, the headmaster smiled.

“Yes! It would be a world-shattering event, a priceless opportunity that I’m to forward-minded to actually pass up.” Crowley said a little too happy as he continued to think about it “Indeed, I’ll draft it up as an abroad study, I’ll even put Sorrel on the list of attendees to lessen the suspicion of her absence. Yes, this is a truly wonderful idea that I came up with! Yes, what generous plan indeed!”

There was a wave of relief as a collectives sigh rolled over the students in the alchemy lab. The only sounds of displeasure coming from the ink monsters still trapped in their cage. Though there is a celebration was short-lived as the headmaster began to speak again.

“However, there might be a chance that those who go might not return, I can only afford to let out one student from each dormitory go.” He said in a more serious tone “I will give you till sundown tomorrow to make a decision on who will go, as Dorm Leaders I expect you to make this decision with the utmost seriousness!” The slightest of threats laced the severity of the headmaster’s warning “I will only allow eight students to go on this expedition no more, no less!”

｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡

[Castel of ???]

“Are you sure about this Oswald, Hunny? We suppose to wait to gives these to her later.” Ortensia said holding a standing beside her husband “The plan was she had to ask about them first.” The cat reminded him nervously shifting the gift box in her hand.

The Lucky rabbit lowered his head at the two gifts he was holding “She not remembering, if anyone can get through to her it’s...” He gulped “It’s them.”

“She’s grown up so much it’s really hard to believe that it’s her.” The pink skirted cat said as he stared at the door too nervous to open it “The other day I bought her some pretty gowns to change into, she wouldn’t even put them on! She used to love dress-up, but now she’s just got this menacing aura about her!” Her eyes watered.

Oswald looked to Ortensia with an understanding expression as he said “She grew up it was bound to happen when she left ten years ago. He did warn us that if we tried to save her that she would be changed, everyone agreed to that remember.”

“Everything in Wasteland is changing so fast, even our babies are starting to change a few of them have grown out of their coats of baby blue!” The cat cried “Not to mention all these expansions the new continents everything will be so different from the world we settled down in.”

The Lucky rabbit couldn’t stand seeing his beloved in such pain and pulled her into a hug. Sure things had changed but their home had only gotten better for it, the quality of life in the Wasteland had improved the disasters that once threatened its existence. “This is bound to happen the more people that get forgotten and places that fall into oblivion the bigger Wasteland gets there’s no changing that.”

“I know I just wished it would change a little slower.” Ortensia pulled the way from him as she calmed down.

Deep down the Oswald wished for the same thing, though he knew that was never the planned for the Wasteland. Even before the world had been given its unfortunate name it held a specific purpose and the magic that flew through it would do it’s best to fill it, healthy or sick with corruption. He needed to stay strong and show everyone that he was still a capable leader no matter what appeared in his world.

The first step to doing that was to bring in all the friends back to her senses.

Opening the door to Sorrel’s room he poked his head in first disappointed to still see her in the same uniform that she had arrived in. It made him feel terrible to know that the little girl that had been the light of the Wasteland in its darkest days, was now a menace crazily running through the halls to try to escape the home she loved with all her might. It seemed to him that she had grown up to be the entire opposite of what her purpose was, which made him almost feel bad for agreeing for her to come back at all.

Sorrel stiffened as she saw him leaning in the doorway “Oh, it’s just you.” She relaxed but still looked at him warily “Can you please take me back home?”

“I don’t know how to explain this to you anymore them we’ve had but, you are home.” Oswald entered the room as cautiously as approaching a baby deer, Ortensia a few steps behind him “I know you don’t believe us, but these gifts are from friends you used to have here, they even wrote letters for you.”

“Really?” Sorrel narrowed her eyes at the wrapped presence suspiciously.

“We’ll just leave them here take your time with them.” He said placing the gifts on a nearby coffee table “If you want to write them back just ring the bell and will get you set up with papers or a typewriter whatever your use to.”

“Okay.” Was all she said.

Oswald’s ears flopped, he had honestly thought and he had gotten used to the passive aggressiveness of teenagers due to the influx of new residents. However, the cold dismissiveness made it feel like one of his own children had turned against him. Though as he turned to the door, he knew that Sorrel wasn’t his child, she was all of Wasteland’s child. The child who had to leave in order to stay alive and returned a bratty panicky teenager.

“If you feel like crying, I can come in and comfort you too sweetie I know you must be having a difficult time just remember everyone here is your family,” Ortensia said placing her gift on the bed before being pulled away by the Lucky Rabbit.

“Thanks, but I’ll be fine,” Sorrel said quietly as she was left alone again.

Sorrel stood there as the noises of the cat and the rabbit disappeared down the hall. The whole time gripping the sleeves of her uniform, she knew that she should have changed but she was afraid that they were going to take it from her. When she had arrived at Night Raven College, she didn’t have anything on her from her previous life. The uniform at least, the memories, her friends, were real it was her only anchor in her current situation.

Her mind was a storm between escaping the castle in finding a way back in just believing and accepting her current situation. She was tired and confused feeling like she wanted to cry but didn’t have the energy to do so. All she wanted to do was cling to what she understood, even if it meant that she would be rejecting the truths that the rabbit and cat creature were trying to tell her. She had a life on earth a real one, though the more that she tried to recall the memories of that life the more faded and opaquer they became to her.

Where did she go to school?

What was the name of her teachers, her friends?

When is her birthday?

Obvious facts about her identity muddled and she started to panic her fingers digging into her arms as she sat down on the bed. She closed her eyes trying to steady her breath, as she did, she remembered the skyline of Night Raven College in the morning. The sound of Crowley calling her name, the laughter of Ace and Deuce as they walked beside her. All the friends she made smiling at her and Grim as they surprised her with a party.

She remembered burning green eyes staring down at her from the darkness.

Blinking back the wetness in her eyes she looked at the gift that was left beside her on the bed in the envelope sealed with pressed red wax sitting on top. Carefully she opened the envelope and pulled out the contents within, the paper itself was a sight to behold before she even read the contents of the letter. The page was solid black embroidered with designs of red leaf, the words themselves a bone white color as if the elegant script was created by removing ink from the page instead of placing it down. Briefly looking over the script she saw words that centers chill down her spine familiar but not welcomed.

_Dearest Sorrel,_

_At the time I pen this to you I’m readying to go with Deacon to retrieve you from the world the Sorcerer had placed you. It is a risky venture especially since it was only a couple years ago that Deacon was released as being the Sorcerer’s Fetch. I regret having to write this so last-minute, to be honest, I for a long time was in denial of your departure from Wasteland I assumed that the ten years that you would be separated from your home would be in whatever world he kept you captive in. It wasn’t until the flowers in the garden of the manor house began to wilt that I knew that I would be the one to experience all brutal ten years._

_So much has changed here since the unfortunate accident that made you and Deacon part for other worlds. Of course, the residents have not, as it is the curse of this world, though from what Deacon has told me you have changed into quite the lady. He is also told me of your living situation in that ‘Twisted Wonderland’ the Sorcerer saw fit to abandon you in. If for some reason your stay at the castle is uncomfortable because of it, there are always rooms available at any of my properties._

_Yes, I have acquired more properties since we had last met. There is the Lonesome Manor you are familiar with though it has been renovated under my stewardship. I also have been bequeathed the ownership of yet another manor house and a nightmare of a property called the Twilight Hightower I also apparently have an island though I am far too busy to of visited it just yet. Perhaps we can go explore it sometime once we have become reacquainted with each other of course. Perhaps when you fully recovered, we can go out to the saloon or see a show somewhere._

_I do know that when we meet face-to-face that we will be strangers to each other, but I’m ready to discard my memories of who you were to appreciate the person you have become in your time away. As my power as the Servant of Grief, I will take care of every need until you find a place here, this is my vow to you._

_Deepest regards,_

_Michael Ravenscroft._

Sorrels's lips drew into a line the author of this letter wrote to her as if she personally knew him. That would make sense if at one point they were friends, even though his tone seemed that they were closer than that, which didn’t comfort her. ‘Dearest’, ‘this is my vow’ weren’t those the words that the stranger had told her when she was attacked in the library. Had that attack actually been him trying to rescue her like the letter implied? If so, why with all the secrecy and shadows? A brief memory of the library crossed her mind and guilt wormed her way in her stomach, maybe he had done just those things because he thought that’s how she would recognize him.

Her eyes glanced at the gift wrapped in a dark purple paper with a black ribbon. It made her hesitant to open it, but she wanted to understand more about this Ravenscroft. Carefully as she could she pulled back the ribbon and paper to reveal a simple hatbox. Pulling back the lid she pulled out an exquisitely made hat, a black wide-brim hat that looked like it came from the Victorian era with lace and white roses and lilies made from silk. It looked so expensive and beautiful she didn’t dare try it on and carefully put it back in the box.

Curiosity stirring within her she looked at the two gifts on the coffee table and picked the envelope that set atop a simple blue box. The paper inside seemed like they ripped a piece of sketchbook paper the remains of some type of blueprint or diagram clearly visible on the backside of the letter. The handwriting was clear but childish like the author was in a rush to write anything.

_Dear Sorrel,_

_I know we didn’t know each other that well back then, but I spent all this time making this music box just for you. Deacon said that I could write a letter to give to you with it like him and Mike._

_Do you still like puppet shows? I don’t put on puppet shows anymore though that’s really all I know about you. I remember nervously hiding in the theater box after my acts waiting for you to go away. Not because I was scared of you, I was hiding in the box in the first place because I was afraid of getting caught by something much scarier than a little girl. I was just afraid that if I stood up and showed myself the magic of my show would be ruined for you, you’re my only audience member outside the bunny children._

_I still remember the way you’d singed while you waited for me._

_You’ve grown up now apparently, I hope you still like the music box anyways I worked on it every day when I had time these past years. Though my time to make such things have gotten so much shorter I have so much work to do now that I become a hero. Yes, I’ve become a hero though we have a funny name for it I’ve become the Servant of Sorrow you know after the tower in the castle. It was Mike’s idea he said that we were all getting it to be called that anyway so we might as well do it first._

_Maybe I can take you on a tour of my workshop and everything I’ve been doing since you’ve been gone. I’d happily give you a backstage tour to some of the rides I’ve been preparing too since you’re old enough I don’t think the magic would be ruined for you now that your gown up. With my new role as a hero I want to make everyone happy so please don’t wait to contact me the gremlins will happily give you my number or you can send a letter through them to._

_I’ll be waiting until then as your happy hero. Welcome home,_

_Atticus Clocksmith._

Just like the first letter, the authors seemed to know her, but she had no clue about many of the things he was talking about. She had no clue about gremlins or the names of the castle towers her only guess was that the Mike that she was referring to was Michael from the first letter. She decided that she would examine the letter later if something else made the authors words clearer to her.

She turned her focus to the blue box next hoping that there were better clues in the gift than the actual letter. Folding it open by pulling off the tape that held up its thick cardboard sides revealing exactly what the letter had mentioned, a music box. It was massive resembling both a palace and a clock tower and decorated with tiny golden harps and elephants as brightly painted nutcrackers stood sentry. Extending out from the structure a mirror covered a dance platform figurine of couples dancing arm in arm dotted the mirror. Carefully she touched one of the toys and saw that she could pick it up the bottom of the dancers were tiny magnets. She returned the dancer to its place on the mirror as she turned the key of the music box slowly as not to break any of the mechanisms inside.

As she released the key she watched as the figurines of the dancer’s slide and move against the mirror as if they were on ice. She stared hypnotized by the movement as the tune of the music box began to leak out from within. It hurt her heart as she recognized the song each word pinching her lips with sad memories. Memories of lonely nights and nameless faces of an idea of feeling that lays to crossed her mind like a shooting star.

Old and faded.

Tattered and torn.

Often been mended before.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she let the music box play until it stopped, each of the figurines slowly gliding into place. Each of the words burning images into her mind as she recalled the song. The letter had mentioned that she had sung to Atticus back when he worked as a puppeteer. Had she sung this song to him? It was fitting with the castle ballroom of the music box’s façade a conscious choice that she found beautiful as the song was painful.

Rubbing her eyes, she looked at the final gift and envelope. She couldn’t stand having these feelings for people that she couldn’t even put faces to which it so desperately wanted answers. All she wanted was to curl up, fall asleep, and awake and in a world where things made sense. A world where she knew who she was, a world where it didn’t hurt to think about her past.

Shakily she opened the last letter, it was typed on the plane clean paper and was short and to the point.

_Sorrel,_

_I know you’re scared or confused right now about what happened to you, for that I’m sorry. I threw away paradise, every promise we made together in just a few moments of being a foolish child drunk on the idea of never growing old. I should’ve been there by your side; no amount of petty disagreements was worth what happened to you._

_How was I supposed to know that you were different from everyone else, like Mike or Atticus, only meant to fill a role that none of the residents were going to take? You were going to turn to dust and disappear and some other person was going to take your place._

_I couldn’t let that happen!_

_What he did to me just you wouldn’t turn to dust for my mistakes. The only thought that had gotten me through the years was that I could see you again, keeping my memory of you in my mind and in my heart. Even though he said that you would have to change into a different person. Which was unbelievably cruel you are the victim and I should have been the one taking all the punishment. He lied, however, because we found you, you’re still clinging to a part of you he wanted to destroy and we were able to bring you back at long last. Now there’s nothing more to worry about, no more pain. We’ll meet each other face-to-face soon I promise it, but first there’s another promise I’ve got to keep._

_Sincerely,_

_Deacon_

She recognized the name Deacon; he had been mentioned in the other two letters. If he was to be trusted what he had written put into perspective what had only been hinted at in the other letters. She had lived in this world when she was younger, younger than maybe she could remember clearly. Then an accident happened and this Deacon and herself was taken away by some type of sorcerer. It was hard to believe too fantastical even when she spent a year studying alongside magicians and monsters. Though there were still things that didn’t quite make sense to her what did it mean that she was going to disappear?

Her hand moved to her chest her mind trying to force pieces to connect like a puzzle without a recognizable picture.

After a deep breath she went to the last gift she could tell under the paper immediately it was some type of book and was less careful turning off the wrapping because of it. Once the book was revealed she realized that it was a leather-bound photo album, her heartbeat a little faster remembering all the photos she had left behind back in her dorm room.

Turning the album to the first page she was overwhelmed with emotions. The pictures were dark almost macabre and scary even so there was always a child with a happy smiling face. The little girl with bright beautiful strawberry blonde hair tied up with a ribbon. The girl’s eyes glittered brightly shining different colors from picture to picture as she headed and what looked like air vents were pointed at shadows just out of the view of the picture.

Sorrel’s lips trembled as she shook her head, a part of her rejecting what she saw on these pictures. She didn’t know this child she told herself, she didn’t recognize those cold metal halls nor the silhouettes that she smiled at. This girl with dresses of bright pastel against a dark drab world of machinery and smog wasn’t her and it filled her chest with a fiery rage.

Standing up Sorrel moved to the balcony gripping the book like a vice as she stared out at the colorful world. She lifted the book over her head ready to throw it into the green fields below. These were not her memories and she had no right to hold onto them, she wouldn’t fall victim to this world and its lies. Though as she readied herself to be rid of the photo album her hands trembled and her arms felt weak, her shaking causing a straight photo to fall loose.

Feebly she got to her knees to pick up the picture, it was brighter than the ones she had seen in the album so far. Hiding under a metal table was the girl and another child a little boy with nut-brown hair dressed in a newsboy uniform smiling as they each held an ice cream cone. Tears rolled down her face large and hot, she pressed the picture against the photo album as she squeezed the book to her chest folding in on herself.

The girl in the pictures wasn’t her she told herself and she cried into the open air. Then why did her chest hurt so much?


	5. We Know Better.

[Castle of ???]

Sorrel didn’t know how long she had been out on the balcony her fingers traced the back of the photo album. She leaned against the railing her cheeks and face red and sore from what felt like hours of crying. Her heartbeat slowed as she stared out at the scenic beauty beyond the castle walls in a trance. She didn’t want to move from that spot, moving would require her to have the next step to take, and she didn’t even have the energy to pretend like she had one.

“Geeze what a letdown.” A young voice scolded her as if the wind itself needed to comment on her sorry state.

“ugh?” She shook her head and blinked her mind feeling groggy as if she had been asleep.

“You are really disappointing you know! I’m out here risking my neck to see the young wizard boy that caused such a commotion in the ballroom.” The voice gave a girlish cackle “And all I get is some mopey cross-dresser, I have no luck at all.”

“You are being unforgivably rude!” Another voice one of an older woman said to the first “I can’t stand when you treat other people like this.”

“Then don’t hang around with me, stupid bug.” The younger voice hissed and Sorrel can make the sound of shifting fabric in the tapping of heels.

Shifting awkwardly surreal looked to the source of the voices and stiffened as she stared out at the corner of the balcony. There is standing with the grace of a well-trained acrobat was a girl and a fluffy green gown. Light brown hair teased up to resemble horns stared at her from a distant window sill. Her dark almost black forest green eyes examined Sorrel the way a hungry hawk examines a squirrel.

“What are you doing out there like what!” Sorrel straightened up as she looked at the girl who stood perched just feet away from her.

The girl shrugged and walked from windowsill to windowsill, before putting a foot the balcony railing “I’m not afraid of heights.” She answered balancing effortlessly as a small pink ball of light hovered behind her.

Sorrel moved quickly out of the way that the girl on to the balcony following her into the room as she entered, the pink light zipping after. Standing together on even footing to realize the girl was only a head shorter than her not counting the ridiculous updo she sported.

“The name’s Zara ex-princess, and one of the many forgotten princesses and such temporarily housed here in Castle of Cinders.” The girl the green dress introduced herself as she looked about the room with a jealous eye.

Sorrel glanced outside before asking “Why did you come in through the window?”

Zara moved to the coffee table tracing the music box lightly with one finger “Let’s just say the rabbit has a short leash on me, let’s just say I was supposed to be good but then I ended up here and even when I sacrificed my magic nobody trusts me.” She said before letting out a puff of breath.

Zara glanced up at Sorrel a genuine frown increasing and said “You’re on a short leash to but that’s because I thought you were a boy but you’re only dressed as one.”

“Stop being so rude.” The pink ball of light spoke startling Sorrel.

“This is Pixie, she was my friend’s companion but she’s not here,” Zara said waving away the glowing creature as if it was a fly.

“In the castle? Is she not a princess?” Sorrel gripped the book she was holding tighter generally really confused about what the girl who had barged into her room was talking about.

Zara’s jaw set as she looked at Sorrel with a venomous stair “No, she’s not here as in Wasteland! You’re so dense.” She hissed completely offended by the questions.

Sorrel glared at Zara, the complete stranger that had spied on her and barged into her room. While the room may have been nothing more than a prison cell in her mind at least she had the right to some type of privacy. Moreover, she didn’t have to listen to the insults the so-called ex-princess kept flinging her way.

With a deep breath, Sorrel fixed her expression and do something she hoped looked stern a as she put the photo album on the bed. “I’m gonna scream and get you two kicked out.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Don’t please!” Zara said to her pleadingly, her hostile attitude to dropping like a curtain “I’m sorry, I just want someone to talk to. This is the longest conversation I’ve had in a while.” She wined with an ashamed bow of her head.

Sorrel wanted to tell her to leave, she didn’t have the emotional energy or even the physical energy to deal with the girl’s attitude. However, as she looked at Zara head bowed in her green-hued dress, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She reminded her of someone, multiple someone’s, and exhausting as she was Sorrel needed that reminder.

“Fine.” Sorrel relented “Let’s start with the basics, where am I, I mean the world you already told me the name of the castle?”

Zara blinked surprised by her sudden forgiveness that she nearly hit the Pixie when she raised her head. “You’re in a world called Wasteland, it’s kind of like a water table for things that disappear from other worlds, or could have existed in those worlds but never came to be.” She explained the best she could “I don’t know much about it myself but apparently it’s either an eternity of this place or oblivion when you or your world gets forgotten.” She admitted.

Then with a hesitant look Sorrel’s hand gripping the corner of her shirt sleeve and said “But I’m not forgotten.” It wouldn’t make sense for that to happen to her, after all throwing a party for someone was a big acknowledgment that they existed.

There was an awkward silence, the type of silence that lets Sorrel know even though she said it still may not be true. It made her heart beat a little faster out of fear as she watched Zara shift in front of her clearly struggling to hold her tongue on the fact.

“You want to walk around the castle?” Zara said looking at the Pixie and serve the one she was addressing the question to “I’ll tell you my story and you tell me yours?”

“Beats being in here I guess.” Sorrel nodded, hopeful to get a tour castle she had been held captive in.

“Eh.” Zara said as Sorrel moved to the door “Can you get changed first? It doesn’t have to be all flowery and princess-like just something besides what you’re wearing.”

Seeing that the shorter girl was trying to be nice about how pitiful she must look in her crumpled uniform, Sorrel nodded and moved into the on-suite bathroom. She went over to the pile of clothes Ortensia had left for her, the pile brightly colored dresses of what seemed like every type of fabric. Beside some stockings and tights, Sorrel couldn’t find anything that resembled pants and she seized up nervously. Even before ending up at Night Raven College she hadn’t been the biggest fan of dresses and was never given many occasions to wear them. She never stayed at one school long enough to get invited to formal events, winter formals or proms and other dances.

She picked through the clothes, she tried to recall Vil's advice on fashion but it only made her feel more out her depth. Eventually, she decided on a peach and rose-colored dress with a blue lacy pattern along its neck and chest. When she put it on it fit though it seemed a little loose in places like a nightgown, which only made her feel completely underdressed. However, she didn’t want to waste any more time as slipped on the first pair of shoes that fit which was a pair of brown flats.

Stepping out into the hall she saw Zara and Pixie waiting patiently for her, the ex-princess tilting her head at Sorrel’s choice of attire. It made her Sorrel nervous and wondered if she actually had put on a nightgown instead of an actual dress after all.

“She’s cute, isn’t she Zara?” Pixie said prompting the girl in the green dress to say anything.

Zara straightened up and shrugged her shoulders “Whatever.” She answered before heading down the hall the Pixie a dropping in her flight before following after her.

Sorrel walked beside Zara moving through corridors and downstairs that she hadn’t noticed in her rush to escape. She started to notice little things like the softness of the rugs that ran along the floor and how the vases were filled with glass flowers that sparkled with moving light. If she hadn’t been held in the palace by force, she might actually be enchanted by it all. Hearing Zara cough Sorrel looked to see the dark greens of her eyes looking up expectantly. Then with a sigh in a distant look forward the former Princess began to speak.

“Before I appeared here, I was from a world where my kingdom and the neighboring kingdoms put a great deal of emphasis on a princess and their virtue. We had five other princesses that we kind of worshiped as idols that had an aspect that all girls had to live up to.” Zara looked up at a stained-glass window of a rose “I was born with immense magical power, but I couldn’t live up to the virtues of my kingdom. I was such an embarrassment as a princess that I was exiled from my kingdom, it was so unfair.”

Sorrel wondered how bad Zara must have been at being virtuous to be exiled from her own kingdom, she still seems so young that it seemed cruel to have her banished. The more she thought about it the more Zara's situation was probably no different than the students at Night Raven College, but those boys only had to live up to the standard of only one of the Great Seven. She nodded completely agreeing with Zara, it was unfair, and her kingdom should have just appreciated her for who she was and not the mold that she couldn’t fit into.

“Long story short I did some bad things tried to use time travel magic to ensure the five princesses never achieve their destiny. I failed, but made a friend, then got forgotten and ended up here.” Zara finished on a sad sigh.

They entered an area with a balcony, peering over the railing Sorrel could see the ballroom the bunny kids had dropped her in. It was now empty and she could see doors leading to an outside courtyard from her vantage point. She doubted that if she ran out into the courtyard it wouldn’t be an easy escape though that the fact that there was an exit was comforting.

Zara rested her head in her hands as she leaned against the railing “When I arrived at this place it was pretty rough, only one continent and anyone with half a brain lived underground. It wasn’t until the Mischievous Mouse and the Lucky Rabbit destroyed the Blot was this place really remotely close to how it is now.”

Sorrel felt a strong will sense of déjà vu hearing the title Mischievous Mouse as well as Zara mentioning something called the Blot. Could the mouse be the same? She stopped that line of thought knowing that it was most likely the case, but that opened questions she wasn’t ready to answer. She had to focus on one mystery at a time, though Sorrel couldn’t help but notice that there was a part of Zara's story that she mentioned before that she had left out.

“What happened to your magic?” She asked.

“Well after the Mouse and the Rabbit did their thing, Wasteland changed a lot and three more heroes showed up, even though if you ask them they’ll say they’ve always been here.” Zara blinked her lips becoming a thin line “I got a little too friendly with their leader and told him about my friend, and how I wanted to see her again. He convinced me that if I gave up all my magic it would be easier for me to reform to a good little princess and she’d show up.”

Sorrel watched as Zara covered her face with her hands shaking her head slightly.

“I was so stupid; she was the hero of my world so she won’t be showing up here anytime soon.” Zara stifled the sob as she rubbed that her eyes.

“To be fair, I still think you made the right decision.” The Pixie at the girl’s side said soothingly only to be swatted away.

Zara moved away from the railing her face with smeared mascara as she asked “So, what about you?” She looked at Sorrel expectantly “What’s your story?”

Heart-pinching at Zara being tricked into losing all of her magic, she couldn’t help but sympathize. It wasn’t that long ago that three very close friends of hers fell in a very similar trap, but this time seem she was too late to help. It bothered her that the one who had done it was that had done such a cruel thing considered himself a hero.

She did her best to make it up to her by making her life sound as interesting as possible, skipping over the details of her early life and focusing mostly on her adventures a year prior. The once magical princess eyes lit up at the description of Night Raven College and its residents.

“So, hold up you were the only girl surrounded by a bunch of boys?” Zara interrupted as she held up a hand laughing “Sylphy taught me a phrase for this what’s it called.”

“Zara hold your tongue!” Pixie zipped around her in a warning.

“Reverse harem!” Zara cackled.

“What no!” Sorrel shook her head adamantly in denial.

“Really? I thought you said that the school had a bunch of pretty boys that were your friends?” Zara’s dark eyes examined “Was that a lie?”

“N-no, I’m telling the truth,” Sorrel said not liking how Zara used the past tense for the question but was relieved that the other girl in a better mood.

“Then was one of them your boyfriend?”

“No, I-I can’t do that.” Sorrel flinched her cheeks tinting at the thought of getting close to one of her friends in that way.

“So, it was a reverse harem! Were you a heartbreaker in that boy’s uniform?”

“It wasn’t like that either,” Sorrel muttered bashfully at the question.

“You’re making her uncomfortable!” The Pixie scolded Zara.

“I was just having some fun.” The exiled princess teased as she looked down over the railing becoming saddened once again.

Feeling the levity and hope that Sorrel tried to bring left the space like a pierced balloon she turned down to look at the ballroom again. Her eyes focused on a part of the floor unsure what to say to change things around. Before she became totally lost in thought she saw a couple enter the ballroom a prince and princess she assumed as they ducked out of view of an open window giggling. She watched as the prince held his princess tightly in an embrace staring down at her like she was the only woman in the world. Realizing that she was viewing something that was probably meant to be private her eyes glanced to the ceiling sheepishly.

‘Well, at least they were forgotten together.’ Sorrel thought, then realized that it was more jealous and bitter than she had expected.

Sorrel looked to the girl who was moping beside her and realized that she was just as trapped here as she was. From a different world without anyone she knew to cope with, the Pixie who was always at her side seeming to be more of an annoyance than comfort to her. Sorrel couldn’t help but find a way to help her, maybe they could help each other.

“If you’re so bored in this castle then why not leave?” Sorrel asked Zara “We can escape together.”

“Seriously?” The exiled princess raised an eyebrow “You’re kidding, first we have to get past the rabbit and the guards.” She rolled her eyes just thinking about it “And then once we're out in the great big world, will be at the mercy of the three heroes I told you about and, their big old’ ‘everyone has their place’ speech.”

“Then let’s leave the Wasteland to, there has to be away right?” After all, Sorrel had been uprooted from her home to Twisted Wonderland, and then when she started to get used to that world somehow ended up in the Wasteland. “You might not be accepted as a student but the dorm I have back at the college has plenty of rooms if you want to stay with me.” Sorrel offered.

Zara closed her eyes putting her hands on her hips “Yeah but, you need a…”

The ex-princess jolted in stared at Sorrel in a new light her body becoming rigid. Then with the speed and strength, Sorrel hadn’t expected from a girl in a fluffy dress to have Zara pulled her into a tight hug. Zara shoved an ear against her hands placed on the taller girls back the holder in place. The princess’s grip tightened constricting the air and surreal belongs as she pressed her ear more into Sorrel’s chest.

“Oh my!” Pixie gasped as if the embrace was the most scandalous thing.

“So that’s why they kept you locked up! It’s weak but, you got a heart.” Zara gasped loosening her hold but not releasing the other girl “Do you know what that means! Wait you're new, so you don’t know. Well, that doesn’t matter.”

Sorrel felt Zara’s shoulders move as she stood there frozen unsure if she was laughing or crying. She was at a loss on why her heart was so important, she hadn’t actually had it for that long. Perhaps a heart did have some sort of magical significance, or at least in the Wasteland it did.

“Let’s do it!” A sharp wicked grin spread across Zara’s face as she looked up at her “You’re my golden ticket out of here!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick little short chapter so I can keep up with the flow of updates. Hopefully I'll have another chapter out before the end of the week. Thank you so much for being patient.


	6. Life’s Too Short.

[Mostro Lounge]

The lounge rustled with the late-night activity, patrons beginning to leave for the night as the Octavinelle students prepared to close. Emerging from the VIP room Azul looked at the students lived blissfully unaware of what happened to one of their classmates and where she had gone. This night he assumed would be the last night he would see the lounge to run so smoothly for a while. He waited to the side for the guests to leave before moving to the piano by the window. The instrument had been placed there as a decoration, aesthetically pleasing along with the rest of the décor of Octavinelle. However, tonight he felt the need to play it, to feel the cold keys under his fingertips.

Sitting down in front of the piano he stared down at the row of black and white keys. Tentatively Azul began to play years of practice from middle school perfected down to muscle memory. He let himself play a few simple songs to warm up before beginning the song he was less familiar with.

“Hey, Azul?” Floyd leaned over the edge of the piano “Whatcha doin’?” He smiled curiously.

“Just trying to recall a song,” Azul answered his voice quiet, expression solemn.

Floyd smirked as he watched Azul played his execution lists certain than songs that came before it. The Octavinelle dorm leader often stopping and humming the tune to himself before applying once more. More than once Azul shook his head before starting at the beginning feeling like he missed a note somewhere in the song.

Jade closed his eyes listening to the piano tune “Is that the song? The one we heard Sorrel sing, correct?” He rested in one of the vacated seats, while his arm had recovered enough to no longer need a sling.

“Aww lil’ shrimp can sing, when did you guys get to hear her?” Floyd asked his smile faltering slightly at the mention of their missing classmate.

“It’s was in the in the library, it was really in the morning and Azul and I hadn’t planned for anyone else to be there.” Jade explained.

“Was she any good?” Floyd perked up with interest.

Azul rubbed the bandage on his eyebrow his head beginning to ache as he tried to remember. Her voice wasn’t bad per se, though it wavered and shook timid from insecurity. The words that came out of her little corner of the library reminded him of the descriptions of freshwater nixes, which would put up an air of innocence and shyness to lure in prey. However, Sorrel’s quiet apprehension with her singing was no act.

He had heard her sing once before, a different song, the words of which eluded him like a dream. Her voice was stronger filled with passion each elegant note soothing and beckoning to him, for what he’d never know. Azul craved to see Sorrel confident enough to perform like that again, to assure himself that that side of herself had not been an illusion. Though he was certain that he had drowned that part of her with his greed when he had signed the contract with her all that time ago. 

“She was singing too quietly to tell.” Jade answered, “When we got close enough to hear better, she stopped.”

Floyd laughed amused and said, “She must of known she was being watched and got all shy.”

“Most likely.” His brother nodded.

Azul began to play again his eye is glossing over as he tried to recall the sound of her voice “Why does the whispering wind sound like a lullaby, is that the magic music from beyond the laughing sky.” He sang softly as he recalled the words he could hear.

Azul that back to the glimpse of the other world he had seen through the mirror as he continued to play. There was something familiar yet distorted about that hallway like a place he had seen in his nightmares in his youth when he desired nothing more than to be alone. It must be a hellish place if blots manifested as such disgusting creatures in that world.

“Have you decided who will be going into the other world?” Jade asked goldeneye I looking at the dorm leader expectantly if not knowingly.

“It will be me, as only one can go it’s the best course of action.” Azul said not breaking his concentration. He actually made the decision the moment the headmaster agreed to let them go, he had actually informed Crowley earlier that day without the twins noticing.

“You are still recovering from the blow you took to your head, not to mention that you almost went Overblot,” Jade said.

“I didn’t get hurt against the ghosts.” Floyd said on a small hum “Maybe I could go for you?”

“Floyd is currently in the best condition to take such a journey.” The other Leech twin agreed.

Azul stopped his playing his hands clenching and to fists “No, I’m not risking anyone else safety! I have to be the one to bring her back, I put her in harm’s way.”

“No way Azul!” Floyd frowned tilting his head “It’s not your fault.”

“Don’t let your worry for her become guilt for a crime you didn’t commit.” Jade shook his head.

Azul shook his head as much he appreciated the twins trying to comfort him, he knew the truth deep down. If he had simply followed the plan and brought her back to the party when he was supposed to, that night would’ve gone very differently. Though he had let his jealousy over that stupid charmed toy get the better of him. If he knew at that moment what he knew now he went of dared to go near that flying contraption that the rogue sorcerer operated out of.

“You’re not going to change your mind, are you?” Jade asked.

“No, I don’t think I will. Again, I won’t risk anyone else’s safety.” Azul admitted relaxing slightly “After all, I want to ensure she pays back our favor.” He chuckled, though the air in the room didn’t change.

“If this is your final decision, I won’t argue against you boss. Floyd would you help me with the last of the cleaning.” Jade said before standing up, his brother quickly following suit.

“I’ll help you as well, just give me a moment,” Azul said to the twins before his focus returned to the piano.

His fingers touched the keys once again playing with the memory of Sorrel’s voice as reference. He focused on trying to find the notes as if re-creating the song would somehow bring her back to him faster.

“Why can’t the swallows remain, where is the place they fly? Why can’t I go along with them beyond the laughing sky?” He let the last of the notes slipped from his fingertips before leaving the piano the lounge falling into a melancholic silence.

｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡

[Heartslabyul Dorm]

“Off with your head!”

Ace and Deuce stared at their red-faced to dorm leader as heart-shaped collars formed around their necks. The two first years stared at Riddle furiously as he pulled at the collars their eyes burning into the smaller second year. 

“Oh! We’re going back to this now!” Deuce cracked his knuckles “You might be our dorm leader, but I’ve got at least five inches on you!”

“Are you threatening me?” Riddle took a step away from them defensively “You wouldn’t dare!”

However, the two first years that stood in front of them in the hallway looked dead serious, clearly not going to take their punishment gracefully after the news they had received. It was clear that they were going to resort to violence no matter what the consequences were.

Riddle knew that this was his fault by lying by omission for the past several days. However, it was this very reaction that he was trying to avoid by doing so. You never truly understand the type of connection Ace and Deuce had with Sorrel, yet he was aware that when it came to her safety and happiness that they would behave irrationally if it made them look like they were right. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that they would oppose him and fight him on his decision, as they were doing now.

Will turn his back to his underclassmen showing that even under the threat of violence that he would remain unchanged. As he began to walk away, he moved little faster, hearing Ace and Deuce quickly pursuing him. Without missing a beat, he picked up his pace attempting to lose some before he had to enact punishment on them to once again. He maneuvered through the halls not able to shake the two who were aggressively calling after him. With a quick movement, he bolted into the kitchen slowing to a stop to see Cater and Trey. The two of them chatting completely unaware until Ace and Deuce barged in grabbing the dorm leader by the shoulders.

“What the hell!”

“What is going on!”

The two third years were startled by the chase that had entered the kitchen and quickly moved to restrain the first years. Riddle moving away to keep a good five feet of distance looking distastefully at the two first years that had chased him like a little child.

“Did you know! Trey did you!” Ace shouted at the upperclassmen restraining him

“He’s the vice leader of course he knew!” Deuce answered not giving Trey a chance to answer.

“Know what?” Cater looked about the scene confused.

Riddle felt cold as all eyes focused on him the expression of the four of them a range from pleading to murderous. He certainly knew what it must feel like for the accused in the Queen of hearts trials. Guilt and anger swirled around his mind as he thought of his next words very carefully.

“Sorrel has been kidnapped.” Riddle confessed his tone even to hide his rage “Sometime after everyone returned from… her party, she was taken by an unknown sorcerer.”

“No way!” Cater flinched in denial at the news “Though that would explain her not responding to my texts.” He said quieter.

“That’s not all, she was taken to another world and ‘The Queen’ here was going to just ditch us without telling!” Ace’s eyes blazed as he pushed against the vice leader.

“I was going to leave Trey and Cater in charge. They are third years and know what I expect from the dorm in my absents.” Riddle explained feeling like a broken record with the first years.

“You should stay and one of them should go to the other world!”

“Absolutely not!” The dorm leader spat back not even willing to entertain the notion.

“Listen, Riddle! You won’t let Ace or I go because we’re first years, but you’re only a second year.” Deuce said letting his anger subsided for a moment to try to compromise “By that reasoning should they should go instead!”

“I’m the one going on the rescue mission and that’s final! Heartslabyul has been known to be the most reliable during times of serious crisis, it is my job as dorm leader to fulfill that tradition.” Riddle stood his ground unwavering in his decision. He had to be the one to go on the expedition not just for Sorrel’s sake and the sake of the dorm's reputation, but his sake as well.

“Oh really?” Ace sneered “I don’t think you’d last a day in that other world.”

Riddle felt the blood rush to his face again “Would you care to explain that!”

“They're kind of right, there is very little we know about the other world besides the fact that the more we could see there’s a castle of some sort.” Trey agreed reluctantly “If you have to lie low and blend in not sure you’d be able to follow the Queen’s laws as well as whatever is the norm over there.”

The Heartslabyul dorm leader gritted his teeth as he looked at everyone in the kitchen, he felt completely betrayed. How could his fellow members of Heartslabyul, his own friends have such little faith in him? 

“Believe what you want! You won’t change my mind on this!” He screamed putting his foot down “Now if you’ll excuse me! I have a mission to pack for.” It didn’t matter what they thought he was the dorm leader in his word was as good as law!

He stormed out of the kitchen releasing the two first years from his unique magic not turning back to say another word. Riddle made his way past a group of startled students muttering their suspicions about the reason for his outburst. Letting them be he went to his room and slammed the door behind him his whole body shaking with combating emotions. No longer able to maintain any type of composure he lashed out blindly with his magic shattering a vase full of roses.

Riddle’s rage became tears as he covered his face with his sleeve, he cried caving into the ache of grief and madness he’d been suppressing for days. It felt like his leg was about to give out but forced himself to walk over to the wooden chair beside his work desk. He squeezed his eyes shut to he leaned against the chair letting more tears rolled down to clear his eyes or blurriness. When he let himself over’s eyes again, he pulled out a book from under one of the stacks.

Sticking out from one of the pages of the book was a bluish-green paper. He felt the exposed corner of the paper thick with card stock and layers of paint. His chest tightening as he opened up the book looking to the page that held the paper, there within the safety of its hiding spot was a handmade greeting card. 

Riddle’s vision blurred at the image of a flamingo made from carefully cut strips of paper standing serenely in the water, one of the pink birds webbed feet holding a purple yo-yo. When he had first received the card, he hadn’t known what to think of the image, it was really such a mystery to him. He had taken care of flamingos for croquet for years and never once seen the birds take such an interest in such a toy. Though now looking at the flamingo’s content expression discovering the reason why was the farthest thing from his mind. Carefully opening the card as to not damage the bird on its front he stared at the words written there. Each carefully penned letter was an expression of gratitude as well as a secret confession between only her and himself.

He still remembered her bashful expression when she gave him the card after the anniversary party for the Heartslabyul dorm. It was apparently a tradition and Sorrel’s family to give a gift to the host of the parties they were invited to. That gift would have normally been a bouquet of flowers, but seeing the abundance of blooms in the dorm’s garden had swayed her to make the card instead. Even though she seems so embarrassed he could tell now that it was thoughtfully crafted to convey her gratitude for allowing her to attend, something he hadn’t given a moment of thought to.

 _‘If it wasn’t for the rule-breakers in our life’s we may have never known each other.’_ His eyes glanced over the line again. He had to concede to those words as the truth for both them.

He would’ve never expected from the scene and rules she had broken during the entrance ceremony he would’ve never guessed how similar their childhoods were. However, unlike his life where his mother was there to monitor and ensure he followed the rules, her caretaker’s jobs require them to be gone for long periods , neither being in the house at the exact same time. From what he could understand their jobs and were stressful which made their tempers when they returned home short. If she did not keep her grades up in the house in order she’d be scolded, scrutinized, and punished ‘till the late hours of the night.

Where Riddle’s strict upbringing had been in pursuit of making imperfect like the Queen of Hearts. The rules that had dictated her childhood has been one in which she was perpetually withdrawn, observant, waiting for instruction and brutal sacrifice with no reward. Every movement preplanned unless dictated otherwise by someone with greater authority than her.

They were rules to make her, dependent, a follower, a pawn with only a set number of moves in a day.

There was a knocking at the door as well as the sudden sound of a turning doorknob. As inconspicuously as he could Riddle hid the card back in the book and looked over his shoulder. There letting himself into the room was Trey said with a sympathetic look. 

“Hey?” The vice leader said softly.

“Yes, Trey?” Riddle looked up to him as he stood up.

“This isn’t about the dorm; you want to make the kidnapper pay.” Trey said with a gentle understanding expression “Just be honest about it.”

Riddle thought back to when he investigated the Ramshackle Dorm how he moved about in denial of what he saw. How the others fueled by panic and rage had managed to do so much more in finding clues and he had been. The only thing he could do now was delivered just as against the monster that had ripped her away so violently.

“You want me to be honest! Fine!” Riddle’s silver eyes glittered with a deep desire for revenge.

He would make Sorrel’s kidnapper pay as he became judge and jury and executioner. The other world would learn his name as he made that criminal in an example to never mess with the King of Heartslabyul.

“If I have to break the laws of another world to keep order in this one. So be it!” Riddle confessed out loud “If I must become a criminal to bring her back then I will!” He was tired of the inaction that came from keeping a level head when he entered through the mirror every decision, he made a will only be in pursuit of his goal, bringing her back.

Trey smiled at the dorm leaders’ words nodding in perfect agreement with Riddle’s declaration.

Riddle was grateful that his childhood friend would be the one to maintain faith in him. He knew he had made the right choice by having Trey be the vice dorm leader and incharge when he would take his place in Riddle’s absence. He smiled knowing that even if the dorm fell into chaos while he was away in the other world that Trey would still be loyal to him. His smile faltered as he noticed a familiar shadow in the hall as well, as an even more recognizable phone case pointing out from the corner of the open doorway.

“Dimond!” Riddle rushed into the hall after the snooping third year “Delete that! Now!” He shouted and saw that both Ace and Deuce smirking at him.

“Not until you keep your word.” The orange-haired third-year held his phone up just out of the dorm leaders reach.

Deuce crossed his arms over his chest “Make him suffer for us. Got it?”

“Or else, this will be embarrassing to have this somehow get posted on Magicam.” Ace gave a teasing grin “Confessing to being a rule breaker over a girl, what would your mother think.” He shook his head laughing.

Riddle growled ready to use his unique magic on everyone in the hallway but stopped himself nodding respectfully. As much as he despised the thought of being blackmailed, he understood the actions of the other young men. They also cared for Sorrel but Riddle had made it clear that they didn’t have a choice in the matter. He would give them this one sliver of control if it made them feel like it had any consequent on the fate of their missing friend.

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[Savanaclaw Dorm]

The moon glowed high and bright over the landscape of the Savanaclaw Dorm. Many of the residents with nocturnal natures still lingering around the lounge or chatting in the halls. Meanwhile, the dorm leader’s bedroom a trio of young men stood about having planned for their future.

“Have I made myself clear?” Leona said coldly as he looked at the two in front of him.

Jack Wolf stared at the floor his tail twitching with distress “It’s… hard to believe she’s gone.” The wolf man still processing everything that he was told.

“You're trusting us to run the dorm while you go to the unknown?” Ruggie shook his head at the duty that had been thrust upon him “I get its last minute but that’s a lot of responsibility on our shoulders.”

“Headmaster says only one person from each dorm.” Leona gave a long-exhausted sigh “I’d let you both tag along with me if I could.” It was the truth; he had a firm idea of who would be in the hunting party with him in the other world. The thought of having to play nice with the other dorm leaders made him want to go, rogue, the first second he got when he entered that other world.

“So, what do tell the rest of the dorm?” Jack asked, “They might go wild once you go off to your ‘abroad study’.”

Leona groaned “Tell them that you’re in close contact with me, even if it means faking direct orders for me to keep them in line. I expect Savnaclaw to be in one piece when I come back and with its reputation intact.” He knew that tactic would at least work on some of the underclassmen the fear would be too much to deny in order even if it came from him.

“Really?” Ruggie snickered the gears turning in his head.

“Just don’t go abusing the power I’ve given you.” The dorm leader warned on a growl. Being the only dorm leader without a vice to pass his duties down to he was putting a lot of faith in their loyalty to him.

“I would never!” Jack said his strong sense of justice making it impossible for him to do such a thing.

Ruggie put his hands behind his head as he gave a side I glanced at the door “Yeah I value my life too much for that.”

“Good.” Leona nodded his gaze becoming distant his tail swaying slowly.

“Are you okay Leona?” Jack questioned seeing the sudden change in his dorm leader’s demeanor.

Leona rolled his neck and shoulders as if he had gotten a sudden stiffness in his back answering with “I’m fine just mentally preparing myself to deal with octo-punk and that lizard.”

At that moment the hyena boy let out a large yawn “Whelp I’m heading to bed, see it tomorrow!” He said before heading out of the room.

“I should be going to…” Jack said then tentatively asked, “May I also see off the search party in the morning?” His ears and tail indicating his concern for the older lion.

“I won’t stop you.” Leona nodded in agreement.

With tired green eyes, he watched Jack the moment the door clicked shut Leona collapsed on his bed. The bed felt colder than stone underneath him and he growled to himself in frustration, his mind circling like a pack of vultures on one thought.

He should have stayed with her.

He had been the last one to leave the party, the last person besides Grim who could’ve seen her. Even though Ruggie had joked about it he should’ve stayed the night even if it just meant napping on the couch until the first sign of daylight. His mere presence would’ve been enough to scare off the kidnapper from trying to take her, if not he would’ve thought that creep tooth and claw to give her a chance to escape. He wasn’t there, and he knew Sorrel was suffering for it only making him feel worse.

Leona pulled a stray pillow closer to him as his eyelids began to feel heavy his mind going back to a distant memory, the night he held her in his arms. He recalled the slope of her shoulders, her way hair fluffed up into waves like a small mane, and the way her chest slowed as she calmed against him. He could almost smell her scent, even though it was just a wisp of reminiscence and loss.

He still cursed that octo-punk for what he did to Sorrel, something about the stress of losing Ramshackle Dorm did something to her sleeping mind that he still struggled to understand. It had been hidden subtle the first two nights he was a heavy enough sleeper to notice the harsh words muttered under her breath, the way her fingers scratched into her skin like she had a rash. Though it was the final night that it became too severe to not notice, she was asleep but something raw and feral had taken hold.

All Leona could do was just hold her against him so she couldn't move her arms, as she cried and said things to herself that should never be set to anyone. He stayed with her that way for hours that night, even after she stilled only letting her go when he thought Grim was going to stir and catch him. When she awoke, he was more than relieved to see that she had returned back to her normal self.

“Stay strong for me, I’ll bring you home.” He whispered to the mental image of her as he began to drift into sleep.

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[Scarabia Dorm]

It was long past curfew when the last of the Scarabia residence had gathered in the lounge. The students gathered around the center of the room where their dorm leader and vice dorm leader sat across a table from each other. Smooth pieces of glass and gems settling into the grooves of the mancala board in front of them. The two of them move they’re pieces is back into place as they finished yet one of many rounds of the game they had played that day. Kalim’s usually bright and cheerful expression was marred with worry and frustration at what to seem to have been another defeat for him, red eyes staring at his opponent. Jamil on the other hand was simply rolled one of the smooth pieces in his hand with a calm expression, his gray eyes covered by a heavy blindfold.

“They’re really playing another round?”

“They’ve been playing for hours, is this some type of endurance training?”

“The dorm leader seems super determined to win!”

Jamil smirked at the comments he overheard from the crowd as he put down his peace ready to restart their game. Even playing round after round blind he had kept up a perfect winning streak against Kalim. He had to make it clear to the dorm leader that he’d be the one to venture into the other world, to be the one to bring her back matter what the cost maybe. He couldn’t shake the image of the damaged state of her room, a threat that spoke louder than an assassin’s calling card.

“This is the final round, win or lose Scarabia well be left in good hands,” Kalim whispered trying to be a good sport while assuring that this time he would be the victor.

Jamil smiled running his fingers across the empty divots of the wooden board “So will the prize, good luck Kalim.” He said before reaching up to readjust his blindfold.

“No cheating!” The white-haired dorm leader said making no effort to be quiet.

Jamil listened as Kalim made his first move the sound the first token being placed in one of the grooves. Mancala was a simple game yet, the one that required strategy nonetheless, making the perfect stage to test their skills. When he made his move, he paid close attention to the sound of the stone in the reactions of the room around him.

Once he picked up on the dorm leaders’ strategy, he smirked knowing exactly what to do to this last round play out in his favor. With this plan settled he could let his mind go and focus on a more pressing problem. In the school that housed actual royalty and the sons of wealthy aristocrats. Why take a girl that had nothing to her name but her dorm and a cat?

He knew why though, yet he assumed that what he learned hadn’t escaped school grounds. Sorrel was indeed a diamond in the rough, it was evident the moment he had first looked into her eyes. Those beautiful eyes that were caves of gemstone hues, it felt like if he stared in them long enough, they would reveal all her secrets. He was always enchanted by the way they seem to shift in the subtlest ways never the same from one moment to the other. Eyes that always met his, even when she was fully aware of the power of his unique magic.

He had preyed on her trust to fuel his own selfish gain before he was ever aware of her true value. Jamil had caught in glimpses of it when she spent the break in the Scarabia dorm, yet he had been so sure that he was in control during that time to explore it. He knew better now and if his fears were to be believed Sorrel’s kidnapper would do their best to hurt and abuse her to get the results they wanted. Though he knew from experience that she would give them hell when they tried.

Jamil was pulled back to reality as the room erupted in gasps and applause. It was clear that the game is over as soon as it started. The next thing for him to do now was to prepare for his journey into the other world. Perhaps he would prepare for what he’d say when he saw her again, knowing if he was so forward with the truth, she’d be in denial, she’d never trust him again. She might even avoid Kalim in the process to never have to see him, and that was the most merciful of things she could do.

“It sounds like I won again.” Jamil smiled, knowing that if he was allowed to see the anguish on his opponent’s face would be enough to swallow such a prideful statement.

“You cheated!” Kalim cried out sounding more like a squeak.

Jamil sighed on a laugh “Would you like another rematch?”

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[Pomefiore Dorm]

The lounge of the Pomefiore was dark save for the glow of a few lamps as to figures one kneeling and one sitting talked in hushed tones.

“That is the plan.” The Pomefiore dorm leader said from his throne “I assume I can put my trust in you to see it through, correct?”

“Have I ever disappointed you before, Vil?” Rook smiled up to him.

Instead of directly answering Rook's question Vil stated “You cannot fail, understand?” A chill lacing every word.

“So!” A young voice was punctuated by the loud sound of a knife stabbing into one of the lounges wooden coffee tables. “That’s how it’s going to be then!”

“Epel!” Rook and Vil stood to see the first-year whose bright blue eyes shining with fury as he stood up from his hiding place.

“Just like the Fairest Queen, sending your servant out to do your job.” He removed the knife that he was playing with from the table not even caring about the mark it made “If it’s going to be that way then I’ll join the rescue team to save Sorrel myself!”

“Out of the question!” Vil scoffed at the lavender haired boy’s ungentlemanly behavior “How’d you even know what happened to her?

“I knew … If there was a real emergency in Pomefiore you wouldn’t care about how you looked.” Epel said in a softer tone “You two hurrying out before dawn without even your hair brushed was a good indicator that something had happened.”

There was a look of shame and embarrassment that crossed the two upperclassman’s faces at Epel’s confession. Vil stood still unable to bring a proper reason to his behavior that morning he woke up frightened far earlier than when he woke up for his morning jog. He remembered being frantic like a man possessed, thankfully he had Rook to suggest visiting Sorrel.

“So … I followed you to her dorm, while you were beating up Grim, I took a glance inside.” Epel’s eyes began to water “At first, I thought she’d been robbed… then she didn’t show up to class!”

Vil shook his head thankful for the dark of the room to dampen the severity of Epel’s expression “The place in which will be searching for her is far too dangerous for first years.” He said not giving any room to budge on the matter “I’ve taken serious thought to the matter, and Rook is the most skilled for this type of mission.”

“No, you haven’t! You just don’t want to go yourself because you’re afraid of your status as dorm leader being threatened!” Epel’s words were as sharp as a knife as he moved closer to them.

“Nonsense, no one can possibly challenge Roi de Poison.” Rook said his tone as defensive of as the stance separating the two of them.

“Stop being a selfish child.” Vil sat on the throne “Every decision I’ve made has been with Sorrel’s safe return in mind.”

“You never cared about her! You left her party first to be on a Magicam stream.”

Vil gripped the arm of his chair lips forming a line to shield true reaction from view “I had that Q&A scheduled weeks in advance, her party was a last moment fling and she was very grateful for my presence when I was there.” His explanation felt like an excuse the longer he spoke.

Truthfully if he had known that would be the last time, he’d see her, he would’ve never left her side. How strange, for every time he thought he had something he couldn’t lose it was taken from him. Like some there was an unseen force seem to always want to snatch away any happiness or success when he got close to it.

“I bet your happy that she’s gone! No more distractions that keep you from what you really care about.” Epel’s voice caught before he screamed at the dorm leader “Yourself!”

“I’d suggest you stop yourself right now, Little Apple.” Rook warned.

The corner of Vil’s mouth twitched because those words were once true not so long ago. “You know Epel, you’ve actually made me realize something.” He stood to his feet once again “Since my decision seems to be wrong perhaps the Pomefiore will abstain from their part in the rescue plan and allow someone else to go.”

“What!”

“You are not serious about this, are you?”

“I have all night to finalize my thoughts, I might be so gracious to change my mind if I’m not bothered.” He looked to the stunned expressions of the two in front of him and said “Do you understand?” He left the room not giving them a second there respond, while brash moves may not be graceful, they got results when making an exit. He made it halfway to his room before staggering bracing himself against the wall allowing his inner feelings to reflect his outward expression.

Vil could not shake how Epel’s words dug right at his guilty conscience, his plan to send Rook in his stead was selfish. Though it wasn’t because he thought saving Sorrel was a trivial matter to be pushed off on a subordinate. It was because he wasn’t sure if he could handle seeing what the kidnapper would do to her, wasn’t ready for her reaction if he was the one to see her first. Out of all the dorm leaders he was probably the one she would least appreciate being her savior, even though his heart ached for her to come back.

He entered his room locking the door behind him then moved to his mirror. His reflection was not an easy sight to look at, he appeared almost sick with dark circles under his eyes and lines of worry already beginning to mar at his perfect skin. No matter how skilled Vil was as an actor each day no amount of makeup and lies could hide his emotions forever.

Sorrel, the girl from the other world with the name of a sour little plant.

When he had first seen her in a ceremonial robe, she radiated such powerful energy commanding everyone’s attention to her. Though by the second time he caught a glimpse of her she was a scruffy ragged thing hiding behind some other first years. Her sudden change was almost an insult to him though, he was more surprised that she was still even lurking about the school. The contrast had always writhed like a fat little worm in the back of his mind for days on end.

However, since she wasn’t a part of his dormitory, he didn’t see a need to correct her for the longest time. Then one had reached a boiling point one night when he caught Sorrel outside of Sam’s mystery shop. She was in such a miserable state her hair chaotic somehow being both in waves and ringlets her uniform covered in the grey fur of the monster that she shared a dorm with. He remembered her being so completely lost within herself looking at some sort of camera, and how he’d used that to his advantage.

Vil had brought a special hair comb with him, he had planned to use in a plan to handle a pesky fan of his. As he remembered that moment, he was harsher than he had ever intended to be both physically and with his words. She felt rigid as a statue as he sank his frustration for her negligent behavior like a venomous blade. Though she didn’t resist him as he straightened and played with her hair, despite the short length there was so much of it and he could tell by a texture that it had been untouched by chemicals or dyes. An untouched canvas, full of possibilities it almost brought him to become envious as he raked the comb through her hair.

When he finally released her, she stared up eyes bright with tears, as he shoved the comb into her hands. He had intended the gesture to be a threat, to make her feel shame for not taking care of herself. Instead of crying or fleeing she had thanked him pulling him into a hug, and the weight of her situation hit him like a boulder. She was like a little fledgling in his world; with wings that were clipped before ever feeling the wind underneath them.

Even with that revelation he never brought himself down to pity her, just a strong urge to bring her up and see her true potential. Vil wanted to see her cupid bow lips in full red and to have those thick healthy eyelashes of hers extended to its fullest. To see her dressed in rich jewel tones that would make her eyes gleamed and spend hours just playing with hairstyles. He wanted to coax the true colors out of her and have her be the one in front of the camera, so even the world could see her.

Now she was gone, and if something wasn’t done, he would never know the full extent of her beauty.

There was a knocking at the door Vil wiped the tears from his face as he said “Enter.” Then realized he had locked the door and went over to open it.

“Ah, I know that look.” Rook smirked as he let himself in “I take that I will be staying here after all? Hmm?”

Vil looked to Rook with a nod and said: “I will go, I want to be there.” He wanted to see her, to hold her, heal her if need be.

Even if the sight broke his heart.

“I have no doubts that you shall be able to find our little trickster.” Rook chuckled “In the meanwhile, I will dedicate my life to protecting your title and reputation.” He said tucking back a piece of Vil’s hair.

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[Ignihyde Dorm]

Idia laid on his bed paralyzed, what had become a simple moment to rest had become hours. His thoughts were like a spinning coin that wouldn’t fall on one side or the other. All his excitement from his discovery and the plan to actually go to that other dimension to save Sorrel. It was he was the main character in one of his video games or his favorite anime, yet he couldn’t muster the energy to be excited at the prospect.

The door to the room opened sand Ortho poking his head in slightly “Big brother? Can I come in?” He let himself then when he didn’t get an answer.

Idia found the strength to roll over, unable to bring himself to look his brother in the eyes.

“Are you getting ready?” Ortho sat on the edge of the bed “You are going to the other world? Right?” His expression both curious and pleading.

Closing his eyes knowing that Ortho would be disappointed in him Idia said “Actually, I think I’m going to stay...” He curled in on himself “I’d be more useful here researching the living Blot’s here... maybe I can find a way to keep the portal more stable.” Those were things he could do easily to help and not mess it up.

“Oh, is that so?” The sound of disenchantment from Ortho was crystal clear to his brother’s ears.

“I’m sorry, know was excited to go, but this isn’t like one of my games, it’s real.” Idia apologized as much as he wanted to help find Sorrel and make everything right. He didn’t dare to leave his brother on his own or what might happen if he wasn’t able to return.

Ortho’s legs swayed over the edge of the bed is blue hair flickering “Um?” He looked over to Idia with a curious gleam in his eyes.

“What?” Idia shivered knowing that he had a question to ask.

“If she comes back to do you think our family would be okay with us hiring her as a maid?”

All the blood seemed to rush to Idia’s at once “M-maid! Why would you ask something like that?” He sat up staring down at Ortho absolutely flustered by the question

“Well, she stays the campus during the holidays so what if she lived with us and earn some money too,” Ortho answered innocently.

“Oh, that’s all…” Idia blushed feeling somewhat foolish. “Why are you laughing?” He said noticing Ortho body was shaking as if he had been tickled.

“ You make such a funny face when you think about her.” His little brother answered with a big smile.

“Great.” Idia nibbled at the corner of one of his sleeves as he did the coin in his head finally stopped spinning and he asked: “Hey can I ask you something?”

“What is it?” Ortho tilted his head confused.

Idia released his sleeve “Do you think it’s actually possible to keep a stable portal open from just one side?”

“Feasibly if we could get two points anchored one in each world then that would be the safest way to cross.” The younger brother said, the answer coming easily to him.

“Well can’t exactly trust those other guys to do that.” Idia sighed.

Ortho blinked eyes becoming bright with excitement “So, you’ve changed your mind?”

“Of course, I will be the party leader after all. I know more about that other world than the other dorm leaders.” Idia shrugged with a toothy smirk.

“Thank you!” Ortho wrapped his brother and a big hug “Can we go to an amusement park to celebrate when she gets back!”

“Don’t push your luck,” Idia said being squeezed by his little brother’s metal arms.

Ortho giggled giving him another squeeze before letting him go “I guess I’ll let you pack then. You’re the best big brother!” He said moving to leave.

Idia watched his little brother a zip out of the room before excavating himself off of the bed and moving over to his computer. He typed a few commands on his keyboard pulling up a hidden folder titled ‘Hecate’ and opened it scrolling through files and 3-D schematics. Despite being a real-life isekai protagonists Idia didn’t understand why she hadn’t seemed to level up after everything she had been through. Even with her little fuzzy friend and a passive ability he heard from Jamil, she was still underpowered compared to the other students. Which was a real downer since according to the time he had hacked the school's grading system if it wasn’t for Grim averaging out her scores, she might’ve actually qualified for honor status at NRC.

That is why he was trying to work on a way of the give her a key item to balance things out. He knew that it was possible during the mythological and early part of the classical era there were items everywhere that would give magicless people extraordinary magical talents. They fell out of fashion however because the items often required a major mental or physical sacrifice on the part of the wielder. Though he was sure that he can make one without any nasty side effects or de-buffs on her end.

He pulled up a file he had named ‘Mirage’ which of the schematics and designs for one of those potential key items. It was really made with his tastes in mind, a blue headphone set with connecting cat ears. He thought it would cute enough on her that he had planned it to be the prototype design and had planned to give it to her as the gift at the party. Though he ended up worrying and procrastinating the whole time and all he had for his efforts was a bunch of wires vaguely in the shape of a headband. He was so upset with himself that he couldn’t muster the courage to go to her party in person, on top of that the gaming laptop he managed to buy for her last-minute was completely wrecked by those living Blots.

He sighed and scrolled through the schematics and designs from keychains to full body armor. All of them feasibly could work for her but none of them a perfect match, and he wondered if he was making it harder on himself so he could never go through with the idea. He had purposely titled the project ‘Hecate’ as a warning to himself of what could happen if he even made the smallest screwup.

Idia closed the folder until he mustered up the courage to actually make one, he’d be her key item, Grim would just need to get used to it. As much as Sorrel’s energy could be draining sometimes, he had gotten so used to her that he couldn’t completely go back to his life before her. However, he had to bring her back which meant that he had to navigate the other world without getting total party wiped.

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[Diasomnia Dorm]

The sky and landscape beyond the walls of the dorm was a swirling mass of black and fog, it didn’t give Malleus the same comfort as it had a few days ago. Even at the high viewpoint that the dormitory tower gave him it seemed that only a void that stretched out below him. He rubbed his thumb against the small box he held in his hands his eyes drifting down his mouth forming a small frown. Flipping open the lid he stared the ring that sat safely against the satin lining of the box, his eyes carefully examined the black jade carved around a white gold band to resemble a vine with thorns. He watched the light swim across the rings in long green lines as he examined it then closed it grateful it wasn’t damaged.

As the heir to the Valley of Thorns Malleus couldn’t propose to just anyone, though it didn’t change how he felt inside. When he had first seen Sorrel, he had mistaken his feelings for amusement for the powerless human, like acknowledging the first blossom of wildflowers in the summer. Though when he kept returning to the Ramshackle Dorm, he took it for nothing more than curiosity and him being set in his ways. However, visit after visit, he toyed and battled with his feelings for her unable to accept the truth. He had even gone as far as to believe that she was in enchantress and his attraction was nearly him seeing through her disguise. 

He knew so much better now; Sorrel was only a mortal but her bravery and unconditional capacity for acceptance and forgiveness was stronger than any magic. Even when he was brought to his lowest point, she had reached out to him with such tenderness. He wouldn’t deny he had completely fallen for her, his heart-stricken with a love that he thought he was incapable of feeling. A love so strong, if Sorrel never returned his affection, he’d still stay by her side and do anything within his power to make her happy.

The door to the top of the tower opened with a click as a familiar voice mused “I knew you would be up here.” Lilia laughed as he entering the room.

Malleus turns to look at his caretaker hiding the ring box protectively “If you’ve come to change my mind, I won’t.”

“Of course not, you are the only one currently suited to taking on such a journey.” Lilia shook his head with a boyish smile “I feel like you would become quite a handful and go off by yourself anyways, at least going with the group I can guarantee somebody’s watching out for you.”

Malleus was taken aback by Lilia’s willingness to simply let him go into the other dimension with the other dorm leaders. He was sure he was going to have to fight for his place in the group after overhearing Silver and Sebek argue over who would be his substitute.

“She really means that much to you; I can tell by the look in your eyes.” Malleus’s caretaker put a hand on his hip as he looked up at him “A mortal can only stir up such emotion in someone like us once-in-a-lifetime, maybe twice if fate is kind.”

“I will find the one who took her and I will make him suffer.” The dragon prince closed his eyes and imagining every detail of the battle the night Sorrel had been taken. “After that, I’ll make sure she … she…”

Lilia watched as Malleus trailed off “You know this entire situation reminds me of something I heard long ago.” With a hint of sadness and his dark red eyes he moved to stand beside the prince he helped raise.

“I’m not interested in another fable.” The dragon prince responded sharply familiar with Lilia’s type of persuasion.

“Trust me this one is true, though I was not there to witness such events personally.” Lilia assured him “It was quite earthshaking news when was current, but that was several eons ago, though now it’s not even recorded as a myth.”

Malleus turned back to the window knowing that he’d be forced to hear the tale whether he liked it or not.

“There was once a kingdom that gained its wealth by conquering all lands within the continent resided in …” Lilia’s eyes began to go distant as he recounted the history of a tyrant king, a princess, and a witch.

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[???]

The young man hands glided along the fabric of a scarf as he rolled it up and placed it beside the rest of his disguise. He had enjoyed playing the role of the Dream Finder, though he was more grateful to be home and fill the roles he’d weaved for himself in the Wasteland. Unlike Mike or Atticus whose existence required them to play the part that they were made for, he had years to figure out and perfect the life he would lead. He took the favorite things from the worlds he had spied on for the Sorcerer and use them to become irreplaceable, and the forces that governed Wasteland's magic knew that. Now with his oldest and closest friend safely returned to where she was always meant to be, he felt fully absolved of guilt and blame for that accident all those years ago.

Even so, he knew that he would never truly be done paying for his mistake, he had regained the will to finally move forward with his plans for the land of the scrapped and forgotten. The Sorcerer had been more than successful washing away Sorrel’s true identity than he had been with himself. That poor little shy girl filled with doubt, possessing a virgin heart tainted with grief and pain that wasn’t hers to bear. It made him despise that world instantly, which made him feel disdain for every world caused her any type of distress. It could possibly be years for her to be fully healed, and he was thankful that one of Wasteland’s most plentiful commodity was time. He only hoped that his patience was as plentiful, as well as Oswald’s strength to deal with her and the trouble her tarnished heart might bring forth.

He moved to the large glass windows of his bedroom staring up at the night sky, his favorite shooting star arching across the sky right on time. There were so many stars than when he was a boy scouring for scrap on Mean Street. Back then he thought that the stars in the sky where the worlds still stood on their own. He knew so much better now, the stars that glittered in every shape and color were once a part of the sky is of a world long forgotten. Like the land that shifted and grew being a painting and abandoned by its artist, the sky was a tapestry that tried to blend together the cosmos of multiple universes.

He looked down at the neighborhood he currently resided in each house uniform on the outside with rounded white walls and floor to ceiling windows, then out to the city in the distance shining illuminated by thousands of digital lights. He knew many of his neighbors were not pleased to live in another world’s past vision for the future, however, the truth was visions for were future always better than the one most worlds got.

Slowly hearing something rattle and shuffle from within the house he turned his attention away from the window. He stepped out into the main part of the house glassy surfaces faintly illuminated by touch screens embedded within. He trailed his fingers around long the dining room, countertop images of water rippling and swimming Koi fish reacted to his touch accurate to a real-life pond. The young man’s dark eyes moved the kitchen sink that rattled and hissed as something pushed its way out of the mouth of the faucet.

With all the colors of an oil spill, the substance forced its way into the sink congealing into a single limb. The rest of the gelatinous body flipped and wiggled as it fell into the sink with a hard plop. The young man did not do a thing as the blot creature stood up in the sink it’s a massive green eye scanning the room. He tilted his head as the Seer blotling locked on him as it hopped down to the kitchen and rolled beside him. The inky creature stretches and wiggled releasing siren-like chirps.

“Hmm, can you say that again?” The young man asked the blotling propping up his head in one hand “What? Where did you enter from?” He leaned further on the countertop.

The creature blinked its giant eye looking up at him like a confused pet. Then rubbing its body against the young man’s pant leg, it chirped again.

An amused smile crept on his face “Well… we got to handle that immediately.” He straightened up “The last thing we want to somebody from that world coming in while they still have a heart beating in their chest.” He couldn’t bring himself to say it seriously because he was fully aware of the risks and benefits, they came from merely existing in the Wasteland with a heart. He actually hoped someone would make it through to try to take back Sorrel, to give him a reason to enact the much-needed karma on those heathens.

The Seer tucked itself and rolled into a ball moving to the steps down to the front door of the house. The man can help but chuckle to himself as he watched the creature wait dutifully for him to move and opened the front door. It hadn’t been that long ago in the grand scheme of things that the side of the blotling would’ve meant certain death for him. It was truly a testament of him living up to the power that being the Servant of Loss gave him. Then as of gesturing for a puppy to go on a walk, he opened the front door to release the blotling. The Seer stopped halfway to the street and look to him to emitting another chirp in question.

“Hum?” He closed trying to parse out with the blotling had said “Yes, soon, soon, I’ll have enough power coursing through my veins to bring forth my ultimate plan.” He answered. “Yes, soon the perfect world we thirsted for will be ours and I will be more than just a god in this forgotten land.” He said again more to himself than the creature.

The Seer bobbed up and down pleased enough of the answer before rolling down into the street following along the railing of the people mover before disappearing into some shrubs.

“Soon…” He sighed as his eyes focusing beyond the horizon past the city to the ever-present silhouette of Dark Beauty Castle. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted a slower paced chapter before off jumping off into the deep end. I’m super excited for what I have planned and I hope all you who’ve taken the time to show your support are excited to! O(*￣︶￣*)o
> 
> I just want to judge the temperature of everyone that’s been reading so far. There are certain events that I planned out and are set in stone for the story. However, would you rather have me rush through the story to get to those events sense my updates are going to be a little slower from here on out, or would you all be willing to read through some more character focused and world building chapters even if it stretched out the length of the plot considerably? It would also be helpful to know what would interest you what and who’d you like to see the Twisted Wonderland characters interact with while they’re in Wasteland?
> 
> I just want to know so I can plan ahead for all you lovely readers!
> 
> Interesting fact: The song mentioned in this chapter is an actual deleted Disney song the 2-D Alice in Wonderland movie called Beyond the Laughing Sky. I absolutely love the lyrics of the song and the music of the song was eventually repurposed for Second Start to the Right. I thought it went really well with the mood of this chapter as well as certain upcoming events I have planned.  
> Feel free to have a listen to see what I mean. Beyond the Laughing Sky : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIx1sbH7Snw  
> I hope you all have a wonderful day! O(*￣▽￣*)ブ


	7. A Step in The Right Direction.

“We will open the portal in a few minutes please say your goodbyes if need be.” The headmaster said to the group of students that had gathered.

The morning light breached through the curtains of the headmaster’s office; everything was set up from the hour of the day to the large mirror in the center of the room for the utmost discreetness. The Headmaster looked out at the groups still cluster by dorms saying their goodbyes to the chosen member that would make the expedition into the other world.

Grim moved around from group to group, staring intently at the young men who bid their goodbyes to their friends with hushed words. The gray furred monster shifted awkwardly on his paws as he caught the anger or distasteful glances his way when he got to close. With lowered ears, he looked to the floor knowing that they probably still blamed him for what happened to Sorrel, and he couldn’t disagree with them. He perked up a bit seeing someone all by themselves like he was.

“Hey, Riddle anybody from your dorm want to say goodbye?” Grim said to the Heartslabyul dorm leader as he stared up at him on his hind legs.

Riddle gripped the sack that he had slung over his shoulder “We said our goodbyes earlier this morning.” He explained as he gave an anxious glance to the mirror “Are you coming with us as well?”

“Heck yeah, I am!” Grim put his paws on his hips.

“Under normal circumstances, I would not allow a cat to accompany us.” Riddle said with the same calm strictness as he would recite the laws of the Queen of hearts “However, this is as abnormal as circumstances could get and I’m grateful for the assistants.”

With a look over to the other members of the rescue team the headmaster said “Is everyone ready?” and then glanced over to Ortho who was holding onto a small kennel filled with the rising form of one of the captured Blots.

“Yes, headmaster!” The eight members that were going on the expedition stepped forward holding on to the few belongings they were willing to take with them into an unknown world.

Dire Crowley looked over the group noting how their absence would be noted throughout the school. Yet he couldn’t deny that they were the best for this situation he was quite proud that they were on the cusp of creating history for Night Raven College. Then with a deep sigh, he muttered a spell and cast it over the group.

“What did you do?” Azul asked self-consciously aware that the headmaster had cast a spell that augmented his appearance.

“I have graciously cast in illusion charm on you, long as it stays on you the locals of the world will not be suspicious of you.” Crowley explained “However, the illusion will be destroyed and your true form will be revealed the moment you cast magic. So, plan accordingly.”

Glances were exchanged between the members of the search party. To them, nothing had physically changed only the light around them appearing ever so slightly softer. Their attention shifted back to the mirror as Ortho put down the kennel the inky creature already squishing itself against the bars to be released.

“Ready? Go!” Ortho releases the latch on the cage the corrupted ink monster within slobbering and drooling as he glanced around the room.

The monsters protruding green eyes locked on the reflective surface of the mirror and lunged for it. Grim was right on the monster’s trail bounding after it on all fours feeling the footsteps of the others right behind him. The surface of the mirror bent and rippled with the surface tension of water as one after another eight bodies jumped and dived into the mirror after the creature.

Then all at once Grim and the others fell as if they were pushed down a steep hill, landing hard on a rug so thin that it did nothing to hide the brittleness of the stone floor underneath. Bleary-eyed and disoriented, each of them looked at the room they had appeared in as they got to their feet. The room was round and sparse for a few towering pillars and suits of armor along the wall, light streaming down in purple and green hues from high up windows. Sitting in the center of the room contrary to the architecture of the room around it was a small TV it’s screen wobbling like the mirror they had entered through before becoming still and glassy with static.

“A TV?” Grim looked at the wooden box no bigger than a microwave that they had all fallen out of with confusion. He blinked sure that the portal would’ve sent them through another mirror or entranceway, yet he couldn’t connect why a TV would be the entrance point to this dimension.

“It’s super outdated.” Idia tapped the TV screen trying to make out an image to the static “The display doesn’t even look like it would show color.” He began to chew on his sleeve his mind working and reworking his plan as he stared at the small device.

Vil examined their surroundings with sharp eyes before saying “This is the other world, there’s something familiar about it?”

The other young men looked about the room unsure a dreamlike sensation filling their minds. The sensation as if they recognize the walls or the pattern in the stone floor mixing with the alien shadows that were cast by the colored lights. The weight of being in a world, an entire dimension that was not their own but, close enough to throw off any sense of balance.

Leona was the first to break free of the trance “Something’s heading this way!” He picked up Grim and Idia by the shoulders and pulled them to a stone column as the sound of the door to the room began to rattle.

The other five men in the group duck and hid behind the nearest objects that would hide them. Their hand slowly reaching for their magic weapons as the door swung open. 

A long shadow cut through the space in the room as figure dressed in a red hooded robe entered. The figure’s face was obscured by the gloom and the red hood decorated with the design of golden antlers covering half their face. Beside the stranger was the blotling that they had chased through the mirror gnawing nervously on its a dripping hand.

“Here?” The figure asked in the voice of a young man pointing a finger at the TV.

Hidden from the gaze of the stranger the seven young men watched in stunned amazement as the inky creature gave a gurgling vocalization an answer. The hostile creature that they had seen only as a living embodiment of corrupted magic appearing docile if not frightened in the stranger’s presence.

“I told Gus keeping this thing on would bring unwelcome visitors.” The stranger gave a sigh like a parent that had long since given up getting their children to put away their toys “If all of the intruders are coming in here through it, then he’ll understand.”

Grim’s fiery ears twitched immediately being able to put a face to the voice of the stranger, it was the voice of the salesman that had given Sorrel the rabbit doll the day she was kidnapped. “I know that voi-” His words were quickly cut off by Idia's hand clamping down on his mouth.

The light in the room began to shift becoming bright and florescent the young man from Night Raven College squeezing themselves tighter into their hiding spaces as a shaft of light formed in the stranger’s hands. The light morphed in shape and size becoming the vaguest profile of a sword as the robed figure brought it down on the TV causing it to crack and spark as the device expelled electricity. Sickening crack, after sickening crack the robed figure continued to strike at the TV until it was nothing but wires and splinters.

The blotling let out a gurgling sigh in relief as it hobbled around to look at the sparking remains of the television. The inky creature had only managed to take a few steps before the red-clad sorcerer used the glowing blade of light and slashed it in half causing it to fall into many wriggling ink droplets. The droplets began to sink between the cracks of the stone floor releasing a high-pitched squeal of pain from the wiggling masses until disappearing completely.

“That’s what you get for leading them here!” The hooded figure rolled his shoulders cracking his neck as the light construct faded plunging the room back into its prior gloomy state. “If you can hear me, I know the world you’re from. I know you’re not a savage, I also know why you’re here.” The stranger spoke his voice calm and diplomatic.

None of the young men moved, staring at each other from their hiding places with confused and suspicious expressions. None of them moved to reveal themselves or make a noise besides grim that was thrashing about in anger. 

“That’s why I’ll give you a chance to handle this the right way.” He said pausing for a second to give them a response before turning to leave the room “If not, you will be caught eventually and dragged back to your world. Don’t think for a second that you can make it outside of this castle.” He disappeared into the hall behind the doorway.

There was a moment of stillness as the sound of the robed strangers’ footsteps faded into silence. Then slowly one by one each member of the rescue party emerged from their hiding places, looks of anger and suspicious glances flitted to the doorway. None of them made a sound or spoke beside the muffled sounds of protests coming from Grim. Malleus summoned his staff then moved to follow after the figure in the red hood, green eyes glittering with unspoken rage as he moved towards the door.

Leona growled at the dragon fae teeth bared “You kidding me! Can’t you tell that this is an obvious trap.” He left his hiding space to put himself between the doorway and Malleus.

“It’s obvious that he was not the force behind the agitated spirits that had ambushed Azul and I.” Malleus’s eyes looking past Leona to the open doorway “I can sense that man’s capacity for magic is quite limited, I will make quick work of him and will be one step closer to finding Sorrel.”

“No way!” Grim screamed as he wiggled his mouth free “That’s the rogue sorcerer, y’know the one that I said was using a hell of a lot of magic.”

“Indeed, we can’t judge and otherworldly magicians power compared to the standards of our world’s magic.” Riddle nodded agreeing with Grim.

“However, it seems like he’s only aware that there is one of us.” Jamil looks over his shoulder at the wreckage that had been their entrance point “If Malleus does accept the dual, we might be able to use that to our advantage.” He smirked at the others.

“Sneak attack?” Idia asked in an excited whisper.

Azul nodded rubbing his head not fully free from the dreamlike stupor that the others had managed to shake. There was something wrong about this situation, it was in the way that the bricks in the walls and the pillars in the room were slightly askew. There was a far-off noise of dripping water and the smell of musk in dampness, though the air was cold and dry it made his head hurt.

There was a small relief to see that he wasn’t the only one distracted by paradoxical feelings that seeped out of every pore of this dimension. Vil who hadn’t said a word since bringing up the bizarre sensation eyes drifted up to the windows unfocused, before drifting back to the conversation. Only nodding after realizing that the other members of the group had come to some sort of decision on the stranger’s proposition.

Cautiously the group made their way out into the narrow hall a draft causing tapestry to sway faintly. With quiet unhurried steps, they moved past still suits of armor with beastly features and furniture that seemed warped from flood damage. Occasionally they would walk past a painting or door that seemed so new and fresh completely undamaged unlike the rest of the castle.

The hallway exited out on a stairway landing that spiraled down into a large round room the red-clad stranger standing brightly against the gray mosaic floor. Along the walls were stained glass windows some depicting figures that they knew all too well. The two most recognizable were stained glass depictions of The King of Beasts and Witch of Thorns. The portrayal of two members of the great seven looking malformed and threatening as they stared down at the group.

Malleus looked up at the effigy of Maleficent and then down to the figure draped in red standing still as a statue. “Stay up hear, no matter how this fight turns out the rest of you need to stay out of sight.” He said putting down his bag.

“Whatever happens say the word and will help take him down,” Leona said slugging Malleus’s bag over his shoulder.

Malleus nodded though he did not think he would need the support of the others as he moved to descend the staircase. With each step the stranger began to move to face him, pulling down the golden stitched hood to reveal the placid smiling face of a young man. Malleus could tell instantly that he was a mere mortal, a young arrogant child of man. However, there was something in the stranger’s dark eyes, something black and moving like his eyes were magic crystals tainted by Blots. The more that he examined the stranger the more he resisted the urge to try to make any connections to him and Sorrel, the more he stared into those dark eyes the more he saw the eyes of the girl he came to rescue smothered with corruption.

“You’re the one that ventured into the Wasteland?” The young man said blinking up at Malleus with a smile “You can discard that glamour you have on. I want to see the true face of the one who seeks to take Sorrel from where she truly belongs.”

With a bright green light, Malleus shot a spell at the young man, the magic bolt enough of his magic to make the charm fall away. He watched as the spell seemed to erupt and rip apart. The faint sound of eerie whispers could be heard throughout the chamber as the smoke dissipated.

The young man straightened up his red robe “My apologies, I had thought it would’ve been one of the younger scrappy fellows.” He stared at the undistorted form of Malleus “But for you the one whose very name causes fear, to come all the way here to try to get her back.” He mused glancing up at the stained-glass windows above them completely unaware that there was seven pairs of eyes staring down at him “I had truly underestimated the value your world had placed on her.”

“If you had any idea who I was you would address me with more respect.” Malleus said with a cold resoluteness “Now. Where is she?”

“She is in another castle, somewhere far away from any portals to other worlds.” The young man smile became a sinister smirk “If you want to, I can take you to her?”

“You would do that?” Malleus suppressed the urge to look up and judge the expressions of the other members of his group.

“Of course, as the Servant of Loss, I am the most forgiving compared to my associates.” The young man explained “You desire Sorrel then I see no reason why we can’t share. However, I make this offer with one tiny condition.”

“That would be what exactly?” The fae prince asked cordially though his insides roiled with anger that the so-called servant addressing Sorrel is something that could be shared like an object.

“Oh, nothing too big in the grand scheme of things.” He shrugged moving his arms behind his back “Just that if I take you to Sorrel, I humbly ask you and her never to returned to your world.”

“I cannot agree to that.” Malleus answered quickly to cover the noises that were coming from the upper floor “Sorrel will be returning to my world; she has a life there and people who still need her.”

“I see. I see.” The dark-eyed teen said nodding somewhat sadly “Then unfortunately this is where my hospitality ends as your goals are contrary to Sorrel’s destiny.” His smile relaxed as he summoned up the light construct that he had used against the blotling once more.

From their perch, Leona stood up to join what would most definitely be a quick battle. He was certain that the stranger could easily be overwhelmed seeing that he was relying on what looked like the most bare-bones version of unique magic. However, he was stopped by a hand gripping at his shirt sleeve in an attempt to stop him.

“Let him handle this.” Jamil said not just Leona but the others around him feeling this is not the right time to attempt a sneak attack. He had a strong inclination that if the group revealed themselves now, they would lose a strong tactical advantage the only exit in the chamber was back up the stairs where the group was already waiting.

Before Leona could say a word the fight below them had begun. The blast of green magic exploding across the floor of the chamber.

The blast left a layer of smoke along the floor of the chamber, giving plenty of cover to the young man and his illuminated blade. The Servant of Loss ducking along with columns and carvings of gargoyles and dragons of different cultures. Using the darkness and shadows cast by the stained-glass to try to land still the blows against the fae. However, Malleus was much more adept at defending himself sending counterattacks of magic his way.

Malleus narrowed his eyes becoming quickly tired of with the red-clad stranger’s negating his spells. It was also becoming tired by the pitiful swordsmanship his opponent seemed to have, if this had been an actual battle of blades the servant would have his limbs reduced to stumps. Feeling no need to humor the red-cloaked boys’ actions any longer and was the simple movement of his staff he muttered the words that would end the battle swiftly.

The glowing blade disappeared from the rogue sorcerer’s hands as the gray stone underneath his feet erupted. Emerging from the crumpled stones long the black vines with long fang-like thorns. Malleus’s opponent tried to pull away from the ensnaring vines but suddenly became paralyzed after brushing his hand against one of the thorns.

“So, this is a strength of someone who is considered the upper percentile of wizards in your world.” The young man choked out from the vines that held him “You held such restraint even now I can feel that these thorns wish to rip me apart as I am pinned here.” His dark eyes watered as he stared at Malleus.

“I’ll give you one last chance mortal. Where is this place that you’re keeping Sorrel?” Malleus threatened.

“You think you’ve won?” The young man gave a pained smirk “Silly little fairy, have you forgotten whose world this is?” Then through shaky lips, he let out a whistle as his body disvolved into a thick green fog.

Malleus began a spell to repel the fog that was approaching but was unsuccessful as a violent earthquake shook the castle walls. The tremor was so massive that the castle rattled from foundation to distant ceiling as space above seem to crack. Then there was an earthly groan like the opening of a far-off creature’s jaws as the stones and glass that made up the space above the chamber began to cave in. The dragon fae did not have time to move as the enchanted fog took its moment to pounce and ensnare him.

“Malleus!” The observing group called out almost unanimously as rubble and debris obscured their vision.

The sounds of the crumbling around the chamber did not fade as a massive serpentine head and neck emerge from the dust. From its long black horns and bright gleaming eyes, the observing group had suspected the worst. However, the dragon was far much smaller than they are a distorted manifestation of Blot they encountered some time ago. It did not subdue the terror they felt when they noticed that dangling from the creature’s jaws was Malleus. The greens spiraling vapor freezing him as if he was locked in a single second before the fog had engulfed him.

Paralyzed with shock the group tried to process the site the light in the room drastically different from before the tremor. Along with the gaping hole in the ceiling revealing a tumultuous stormy sky and below the rounded bleak chamber had revealed a massive stain glass window. Azul’s hair stood on end at the large image of a rabbit dressed in the crown and cape of a king. He had seen that rabbit before, but then it had been nothing but a simple toy in his hands. Guilt and anger swirled around his heart and mind blinding him to the goings-on in the rest of the room.

The rest of the group had trained their eyes to the space under the window. Where another wyvern like dragon stood as alert as a guard dog beside the completely unharmed Servant of Loss. The young man’s smiling up at the captured fae with as much amusement as a cat noticing a stray bug on the floor. The wyvern holding Malleus lowered its catch down to the red-robed sorcerer. One of it's massive glowing eyes glancing up at the group above.

With a swish of his hands, the rogue sorcerer pulled a bright green aura out of the frozen Malleus. “Oh, what a powerful spark you have.” His fingers danced around the green magic as it swirled and crawled in spiky tendrils before disappearing into nothing “Though it’s just barely enough to serve my purposes.” His smile became full of teeth as the spell that ensnared Malleus dissipated.

The moment Malleus was freed, his green eyes snapped into focus the farthest thing from his mind was the girl he came to rescue. He couldn’t even bring himself the search for the connections that he had made at the first sight of the monster that had ripped all his powers from him. As he lunged to take a swipe at him the dragon that was holding on to him pulled him back shaking him within its jaws. The other wyvern that had been sitting patiently at the young man’s side now rose to its full height growling and snapping for a piece of the now powerless fea.

“What’s with that look?” The young man said as his eyes flicking up to see Malleus’s expression “It’s not like I took your heart, it’s only your magic.” His shoulder shaking with suppressed laughter.

The two wyverns flap their wings and escaped through the caved-in ceiling with a trapped Malleus thing dangling from their jaws. The red-cloaked sorcerer turning his attention to the group who had been watching in shock as the oldest and powerful is among them was taken down by an illusion and two familiars.

“I’m going to give you all a nice ten-second head start while the Gwythaints have a little playtime with the fairy.” He covered his eyes as if he was a child playing hide and seek and began to count “One. Two. Three…”

Grim puffed up his furry chest and readied himself to bound down the steps at the young man. Anyone who needed to give his opponent a ten-second head start wasn’t ready to fight with the great and powerful Grim. However, as he moved to bound down the stairs at the sorcerer he was snatched up by Leona. The sudden jerking action made him writhe and whine.

“We have to help Malleus!” Grim said in shock as he turned to see the hesitant if not completely scared faces of those, he thought would be rushing in beside him.

“What we can’t do that if we all end up like him!” Azul said his heart pounding as he tried to answer too many questions in his mind at once. All he knew is that either by this world’s magic or some other innate gift the sorcerer that had defeated Malleus could have the ability to rip not just their unique magic but their entire power away from them.

“Is he even…” Riddle stared at where the two dragons had taken Malleus his mind immediately going to the worst possible outcome.

“Don’t think! Just move!” Idia jerked his head back the way they came hearing the Servant of Loss already counting past five.

The group rushed through the halls without any sense of direction, even when they tried to backtrack from which they came, the unfamiliar layout quickly made them lost. The only thing preventing them from scattering like rats was the fear of what else they might encounter in the stone hallways.

“Where do we even go? The TVs busted!” Grim hissed, his mind still on fighting.

“Those wyverns came from outside the castle which means something exists beyond these walls.” Jamil glanced as they passed by the window.

“So, you think we should throw ourselves out a window then?” Vil asked incredulously.

“I’m saying that there is a way out!” Jamil snapped back.

“Shut up! We need to work together!” Grim growled unable to believe that Vil felt the need to start bickering when they should have been running away. He couldn’t understand how Sorrel was able to do it even when he was by her side to witness it. “Hey-!” He screamed as the group suddenly dived into a side room.

Crouching behind a large wooden door the group peered out as the sound of unnaturally large and staggering footsteps came down the hall. A creature much like the ink creatures they had encountered before lumbered into their point of view its body twice the size of a normal human. Its gash of a mouth gurgled and it oozed out a viscous green liquid that trickled down and seeped back into its body. Its froglike limb’s squashing and rippling the only thing keeping it upright with its sizable girth.

“Was that a Blot!” Riddle watched the creature with large eyes unable to rationalize why such a creature would exist.

“So much bigger than the ones that were left in the Ramshackle Dorm…” Idia swallowed nervously his eyes still tracking the shadow of the creature.

Slowly they close the door hiding within the darkroom, a wave of unease sweeping in as the door latch shut. The sounds of rushed panicked breathing computed with a still remorseful silence as the group adjusted to their surroundings. Dread seeping into their pores like a heavy vapor as they came to grips to what had become of their silently appointed leader.

They moved apart from each other unable to communicate besides fleeting glimpses of eye contact. The furniture in the decorations in the room was muted tertiary in theire thoughts as they moved themselves to rest against nearby objects. Idia trying to find the farthest space away from the other members of the group began to pace the edges of the room. His nervous movements causing a series of curtains and drapes his eyes catching something in the shadow of the fabric.

Slowly he pulled back the curtain to reveal a corridor with a hidden stairway behind the drapes “Secret route?” Idia said with excitement and trepidation as he inched his way into the corridor.

There is a period of hesitation as they watch the fiery-haired man disappear into the darkness. The sound of his footsteps faded before the others in the group went to follow him their eyes flicking cautiously around the narrow space. They follow the steep stairs downwards each tight turns causing the space to expand the contract and the funnel down a melted pipe. At the end of the stairs, they stared at that a paralyzed Idia gazing out at a cave-like hole.

A gust of air is cold as a fridge swirled around the group as they made their way out on black and stony earth. Shadows of stones and mountains twisting and standing jagged as spears readying to impale the sky. The tallest of them being right above as pronounced as an umbrella standing miles in the air, high past the barrier of clouds were the vaguest form of a castle could be seen. Below them was nothing but a mad landscape of dips and valleys of black gritty stones and trash.

“What the hell is this place?” Leona’s tail twitched as he stared out at the bleak barren landscape before them.

“Getting major land of the dead vibes but, it’s so wrong.” Idia whispered, “Somebody didn’t load in the environment assets for this world completely.”

“It’s like a nightmare,” Azul said, it was the only thing that made sense in his mind. The whole event that happened to them prior was just a bizarre cruel nightmare caused by the stress of losing Sorrel.

as Venturing out the hostile sent of smoke and putrefaction crept into their senses landmarks in the distance becoming more distorted and faded as gray clouds rolled in. They continued to track though the valley following the sound of a low eerie howl of a train whistle somewhere in the distance. They didn’t have any direction on where to go next, and had collectively assumed that anywhere away from the castle was their best bet. Their hearts almost together started pound in there throats the sounds of beating wings began to thunder the air above them. Their footsteps began to quicken eyes to the massive shadows darker than midnight began to descend from above.

Their footsteps began to rumble and a barren landscape the Gwythaints continued their momentum towards the group. The ran into the distance the space rippling the way he travels off the pavement and hot day, but became more pronounced and harsher as the dissipating as they approached. There was a great deal of punishing and harsh glances as they stared at was a magical barrier blinding them from what may lie ahead. Idia moved closer to the rippling in front of him as the wyvern got closer the golden eyes focused on magical distortion almost curiously. He moved his hand against the ripples causing the case before distorting the wall like the colors of a soap bubble.

“An illusion spell?” The edges of Idia’s fiery hair flickering with color at the discovery “This might be a checkpoint… We might be able to hide in here.” He corrected himself for the group before stepping into the barrier.

The barrier gave way easily allowing the group to rush inside, the two wyverns ascending back into the sky as they slipped in. The space within the barrier was strangely calm as the light from the list and clouds appeared softer than when they were exposed to the elements. However, their reprieve was short-lived as they realized they were not alone within the bubble.

Two women brimming with magic menacing and cold, one standing still as a statue while the other hunched over and holding something protectively. The hunched over woman was more beasts than human with birdlike feet and tucked up wings her clothes nothing more than scales and cobwebs more living than any type of fabric, long black locks of hair swirling around like tendrils. The other woman who was draped in black with an icy crown of topaz silver atop her head, her face was painted heavily with makeup that it couldn’t hide the harsh jagged lines of age.

“Don’t be afraid. If we had any intention of harming you, you wouldn’t have stepped outside the castle.” The aged woman said to the group as she stared at the group.

The woman with the bird taloned feet shifted in her spot “You are the children that that tried to fight the Servant of Loss with this young man correct?” Her arms wrapping tighter around a familiar figure whose own dark hair spilled over one of her arm.

Riddle blinked his eyes he noticed the figure the dark-haired in the woman’s arms “You saved him!” Rush over to her side to get a better view of the one he had just moments ago thought had died.

The animalistic woman fanned out a large pair of wings her lips curled into a snarl to intimidate him as he approached. Riddle taking a step back at her behavior to take a step further, he couldn’t even rest the idea that she might harm Malleus. The rest of the world around the area encapsulated by the bubble, watching as the shadow of the two wyverns swirled higher in the sky.

Leona took a deep breath “Lizards not going to be happy when he wakes up.” he said offhandedly as the winged woman smiled at him.

“It is quite strange to see so many visitors from other worlds here.” The more elderly of the two women said with a calculating look. “Usually people like you have to be pulled in, not many enter the Wasteland so willingly.”

“Someone close to us was taken we came to get her back.” Leona griped at the circumstances that made them retreat out into the barren landscape around him “He overpowered bastard in that castle stopped us.”

“Your friend when it happened to be Sorrel would it?” The feral woman tilted her head sizing up Leona the way a hawk assesses the scampering rodent.

“Yes, you know her?” Vil hiding his suspicion of how the two witches could have had any relation to the girl that they came to rescue.

The beastly woman smiled and nodded to the group “I’m Despondia, once I was the Mistress of Evil, immortal and undefeatable.” She looks down at the one she held in her arms “Now, I am just another unwilling resident of this world.”

“I am the keeper of the Castle of Illusions a place that both exists and does not exist within this dimensional plane. My name is Mizrabel.” The older woman introduced herself her bony fingers twitching slightly.

There was a chatter of introductions and explanations between the two mysterious women in the youngmen as the occasional shadow of one of the two wyverns circled overhead. With a tilt of his head, Grim curiously went over to check on the unconscious fea. His path was quickly cut off by a winged monkey creature that sat atop the winged woman's head scampered down her shoulders.

“Don’t worry your little heads.” Despondia said gripping the unconscious body of Malleus closer to herself “Your friend is more than safe.”

Grim tilted his head knowing that was more than likely not the case. However, he didn’t have the strength to handle the women’s familiar or raise his voice to protest. He felt so small and useless at being picked up and dragged around like a rag doll. It was so humiliating he resides himself to sit down besides Despondia with a huff.

“We’re greatly appreciative of the help you’ve given us,” Vil confessed to the two witches that had sheltered them from being pursued.

“As our goals are aligned, we saw an opportunity to get ahead over the tyrants that have taken over this world as quietly as they did quickly.” Mizrabel explained to the group “However, I cannot keep an illusion that hides us from his minions for much longer and we will have to go are separate ways.”

At the moment Malleus awoke his body ached like every joint had been dislocated but he could move and feel each part of his body was where they should be before he became unconscious. He shifted away from the monstrous woman that had been holding him watching the shocked and confused faces of the other young men. His eyes became feverish as he shook feeling through his black hair absent of horns and years rounded devoid of their elvish points. He had become completely human and no one in the group knew what to say but to stare at him in shock.

“What did you do!” He stood up bright green eyes filled with rage as he turned to the two women that had rescued him “Which one of you made me human!

“You should be grateful, a fae as young as you were wouldn’t have lasted long without your magic.” The chimera woman said between her long black wispy locks as she got to her clawed feet.

Malleus breath quickened at the winged woman’s dismissive nature to what she had done. Who was she, what was she to determine that he had suffered any wounds that he couldn’t survive from? He moved to swing a fist at her the only thing that he knew he still could do in his current state. Rage bubbled up inside him as the dark-haired woman hopped away on her taloned feet smirking all the while. The primemate that sat upon the woman’s head chattered and fluttered its wings happily at his anger.

“Calm down you should be grateful that they were able to save you!” Leona put himself between the chimera women and the now human Malleus.

“We thought those dragons killed you!” Grim said though it seemed like the gray furred monster’s words were unable to reach him.

“They should let me, this body I feel it dying all around me!” Malleus said completely panic-stricken by his new form.

“Get over yourself, is your immortality that more important than saving Sorrel,” Leona growled and any sense that he could back into Malleus.

Malleus clenched his jaw and shook his head; he wasn’t thinking straight and he knew it. This new body, this curse he had now been trapped with made his emotions short and his thoughts unclear. He couldn’t bear to believe that he had fallen into the irrational behavior of mortals so quickly. Though his greatest shame had happened when he had been bested by one mere moments ago in the castle.

He lowered his head as Leona released him feeling like an absolute disgrace. How would Lilia and his entire court back at the Valley of Thorns react to losing a battle so spectacularly that even his identity as one of the fae kind was stripped away from him? There was no excuse, no proper reason for failure like the one he had committed. The pain of it making him feel like there was no longer a place for him back in his world with his current affliction.

Worse was the shame, that he might have to confront Sorrel in his current state. He feared for her reaction as well as how he might behave towards her. In the eyes of the unnatural woman that had cursed him, he may have been young but, he had been alive long enough to know mortals had little restraint when it came to matters of the heart.

“Your transformation is reversible,” Despondia explained smiling at it the despair that she had inflicted on the young man. “All you’ll need to do is get your magic back.”

However, her words meant very little to Malleus, he was certainly in no condition to fight with the sorcerer and his familiars. He was doomed to travel in this strange dangerous world with no power of his own and the knowledge that what had been rightfully his was robbed by the same person who had taken the person he came to rescue.

“Perhaps you can tell how to get to Sorrel without being hunted down by this Servant of Loss?” Riddle asked his mind now set on taking the next step in fulfilling their mission.

“The Servant of Loss is a false hero that cannot be defeated by brute strength or magic alone.” Mizrable warned, “However, there is a chance that if you weaken him by breaking his connection with the true servants whose goals are only to benefit this world.”

“What you mean ‘break his connection” are they under his spell, do we have to kill them?” Jamil tried to gain clarification about what they needed to do. If the true servants were remotely as powerful as the one, they had escaped from they, needed a different plan of action if they encountered them.

“Use whatever means you deem necessary.” Despondia said moving behind Mizrable stealthily trying to distance herself from Malleus “Those I’d warn you death isn’t something easily achieved in this world. At least for its residents, you eight on the other hand are a different case.”

The bubble of illusions that had been protecting the group began to fade as the spell collapsed. Everything from the ground beneath them in the sky above suddenly feeling more hostile as they were left in the field completely exposed. The group of young men readying to use magic at any sign of danger.

“Head east to the train tracks, take the train as far as you can from the castle.” The witch of illusions said pointing in the direction they needed to go.

“And you?” Riddle asked.

“We have other ways of getting around,” Mizrable said before waving her arm in a grand gesture and fading away into nothing.

“When you find Sorrel, tell her that she has some family at the Museum of the Weird she should visit before heading back to your world.” The monstrous woman said before extending her wings and taking off into the cloudy gray sky.

“We’ll see if we can pass on the message.” Malleus nodded before heading off with the rest of the group further into the bleak stormy landscape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took too long to write down the not very proud of it. I'll make sure to get a new chapter out as soon as I can I know that I have something planned coming up that will be more fun to read. Thank you so much to everyone who waited.


	8. To Be Free

Sorrel twirled slightly in the cape that she had found, as she held onto a slip of fabric that she had cut eyeholes into. She wasn’t exactly proud of the outfit she had put together, but she had so many other emotions rushing around inside her to have any effect on her. She was going to leave the strange castle, and hopefully back to a world that made a little more sense for her. She closed her eyes and remember the places of Night Raven College that had become so familiar to her.

She imagined walking through the doors of the dorm she had been used to calling home then the houses she lived in before that had become ghosts of memories. The nostalgic warmth that Sorrel felt faded with a pang of anxiety knowing that she would not be going back alone. How would Crowley think of her knowing that she had been taken to another world and brought back another girl? While Zara was knowledgeable in magic, also didn’t have any powers of her own. She also wondered what type of jokes would be made at her expense when she explained what happen to her to the other teachers.

Her thoughts were derailed as Zara walked into the room Pixie at her side as they ever-present pink ball of light. The ex-princess held potion bottles in each hand staring at the substance within with sharp discerning eyes, trying to determine and critique its potency without ever opening the containers. Sorrel wondered how the other girl was able to get a hold of the potions, is there a way to create potions without any magic in this world?

“Okay so everything in my plan is almost complete, only thing we need to do now....” Zara stopped to look up at her, face scrunching up in confusion “What are you wearing?”

“A disguise?” Sorrel adjusted her hat that she was given as a gift “I picked out one for you that might fit.” She gestured to a pile of clothes on the bed, she didn’t know much about Zara but she assumed that the outfit she picked out would do the trick.

“Why do we need to disguise ourselves?” The former princess squinted her eyes at her as if she had suggested wearing a chicken on her head.

“So we're not seen and if we are, they won’t immediately know it’s us,” Sorrel answered feeling like the idea to disguise herself was foolish.

Zara sighed as she looked up at the Pixie beside her before answering with “Makes sense give me a second to see if this fits.” Then snagged the clothes off the bed before disappearing into the bathroom.

As the door clicked shut Sorrel moved over to the table that she had placed the photo album next to the music box she was given. The only gift not present on the table was the hat that she currently wore on the head. It didn’t feel right to her to leave the items behind knowing how each of them as gifts from someone that supposedly knew her and cared about her. She in some ways wanted to spend more time with the objects, that if she let her guard down, she may understand why she was in this situation, to begin with, a little better. Though , the music box with the melody so familiar and heartbreaking would be a pain to carry around as it was so big and fragile at the same time. The photo album on the other hand would be so easier to take with her but, every page and image in the book made her mind and heart, ache with excruciating pain. She feared what might become of her if she fully understood its content and she couldn’t risk it. However, the hat as beautiful as it was, was only a hat and that made it easier for her to take it with her.

The door to the bathroom opened once again and Zara sheepishly entered the main room. No longer in the giant puffy green gown, the former princess looked small and dainty. The dark jacket and impact she had put on making the dark green of her shirt stand out brightly. Her eyes sharply staring at Sorrel giving the most confused and sour expression she could.

“I guess it’s inconspicuous enough.” Zara adjusted the outfit looking at the sleeves of the jacket and pants the style of attire completely unfamiliar to her.

“I don’t know.” Pixie sighed.

Sorrel looked at Zara examining the outfit before saying “It just needs one thing.” She said before reaching out to pull at the ribbons holding up the other girl's horned shaped hairdo.

“My hair!” Zara gave a startled scream as her dark lock spiraled outwards spilling over her face and back.

Sorrel with a fistful of ribbons began to scoop up Zara’s hair trying to work the best she could through the shorter girl’s protests. She tried her hardest to remember the way Jamil explained the easiest way to braid hair without magic as Zara tried to slap her hands. Thankfully she had a moment of relief to finish restyling as Pixie distractedly bobbed and fluttered her wings in front of the former princess’s face.

“There I’m done.” Sorrel said tying the final knot in the ribbons she had weaved through the long braid “Perfect.” Then gently released Zara.

Zara spun around her eyes burning with anger before suddenly being extinguished as she ran and ducked her head into the bathroom. The exiled princess’s shoulders relaxed as she looked at herself in the mirror before turning back the Sorrel. “If it keeps us from being noticed.” Zara crossed her arms her face scrunched up in mock distaste for the new hairstyle “But I want my hair back to how I like it once we’re free.”

“Sure thing.” Sorrel said knowing that the makeover for the exiled princess wouldn't last forever “Is it time?”

Zara looked out of a distant window before nodding “Follow me.”

Sorrel put on the fabric mask that she had created before following her new friend out into the hallway of the castle. They walked side-by-side through the halls that were so quiet and empty that they did not make any attempt to sneak or have fear of encountering any other resident of the castle. It was almost calming and affirming to Sorrel, feeling like despite all of the preparation Zara had gone through that they could walk easily outside the castle doors. However, the feeling was quickly smashed as she heard the sound of footsteps rushing behind them made her heart lurch with pain.

The ex-princess equally as panicked gripped Sorrel’s hand and began to run down the hallways and spiraling down staircases. The calm that they had felt about easily leaving the castle seem to leave them at the thought of being seen or caught. Sorrel felt the bones in her hands being squeezed together as Zara pulled her along to a part of the castle.

“Inside!” Zara screeched between her teeth as she pulled Sorrel through a large set of doors.

Sorrel stumbled into the room a turning back just in time to see Zara close and lock the door behind them. The dark-haired girl taking the two bottles she had taken in with them and splashing the contents against the door. Her eyes bright with a manic determination as she let the bottles fall from her hands then looked at Pixie and then to Sorrel.

“Now.” Zara said speaking more to herself than the other two “Where is it?”

Sorrel stood in her place letting her heart slowing to a normal rhythm before she took in the sights around her. The ceiling of the room was a brilliant stained-glass dome that made everything in the room sparkle with rainbow hues. The walls and floors were lined with display cases brimming with wands and amulets of every shape and size, each of them seeming to glow with there own unique power.

“What is this place.” Sorrel looked at each artifact on display.

“A treasure vault.” Zara answered looking about the displays “This is where those good for nothing heroes and the rabbit squirreled away all types of magical things and wired junk.”

“Looks more like a museum exhibit,” Sorrel said as she ran her fingers along a glass display case. Her eyes trained on the silver crown; with seven point that were gilded with strangely familiar jewels that glowed brightly with magic.

“There it is!” Pixie’s voice made the two girls jump as the ball of light moved to an alcove covered in protective glass.

The two girls followed after the talking ball of light to catch a glimpse at what was under the glass. Strapped into a metal display rack was a small golden scepter barely even the size of a toy wand compared to the larger items on display. The tip of this scepter was a golden cage shaped shaped like a Queen's crown. A pink pulse of light like Pixie’s own glow grew in intensity the longer they stared at it the wand.

“What is that?” Sorrel looked at the golden rod.

“Another thing of my friend's world that was left in this awful place, but I don't know why she would forget about it?” Zara answered.

“How is that going to help us get out of here?”

“You’ll see,” Zara answered as she started to pace around the room.

When she was out of Sorrel sight Zara ripped off the cape she was wearing with sharp nails and a bald it around her fist. The exiled princess then took the fabric and began to wrap it tightly around her arm and elbow as Pixie chastised her for not asking for the cape. Then with a deep breath to ready herself Zara slammed the clothed elbow hard against the glass. The protective pane separating the wand from the rest of the room cracked with the sudden pressure, Zara pushed harder until the glass fell and shattered across the floor.

Sorrel panicked that Zara may have cut herself on the glass, reached out to make sure that she was all right. However, the ex-princess just shrugged her off as she reached for the golden scepter within the alcove. The moment Zara’s hands wrapped around the golden wand the light within rapidly changing colors as its entire form was consumed by the light.

“I see.” Zara gave a quick overexcited smile as she gripped the wand “I guess I’m still a princess enough for this.”

The pink light that had engulfed the wand shifted between sky blue and an acidic green as the scepter finished its transformation. The golden mesh on top of the wand had split open into petal-like curls, a magic crystal filled with flickering lights in the shape of a paintbrush tipped protruded from the center. At the tip of the crystal paintbrush, dripped a substance that shifted between green and blue in slow pulses.

“A brush?” Sorrel gasped “Why did it turn into a paintbrush?” the sight of the crystal paintbrush made her body tense up in a visceral reaction.

Zara jumped as the sound of banging on the treasure room door echoed in their ears “ I don’t have time to explain let’s get moving.”

Sorrel feeling a new wave of panic she looked about the room for a way to escape. However, the only way out of the room was the locked door that they had entered from now bending with the force of someone trying to enter.

“We’re stuck!” She looked back at Zara angrily.

Zara looked at the transformed wand in her hands and then to the floor. “Hold on!” Then with a large gesture of her arms pointed directly at the center of the room.

The substance that coated the tip of the crystal brush turned green as it spattered against the floor. Each green droplets dissolving into the floor revealing a dark hole. With a running start Zara jumped down into the hole not glancing to see the height of the drop. Sorrel followed but stopped just at the edge of the hole her heart pinching with anxiety.

“Come on! It’s not that long of a drop.” Zara called up to Sorrel who had been completely in the dark when it came to this part of her plan.

Not needing any more encouragement Sorrel jumped down the hole falling on her knees “Are they going to follow us?” She looked up at the hole to distract herself from the pain of her landing. Still hearing the pounding at the door to the treasure vault. Then flinched as the sound of something hard smacking against the floor was punctuated by the sound of crumbling walls.

“Yes, but this tunnel has to lead away from the castle.” Zara turned and began to run deeper into the passageway “We’ll lose them when we're on the surface.”

“Why can you use magic again!” Sorrel asked and she followed them confused by Zara’s ability to use the crystal paintbrush.

“It’s the wand. It mimics the regalia and powers of the princess of the world it’s in.” Zara said giving the paintbrush a disinterested twirl “This world doesn’t have a true princess to rule it, so it became the next best thing.”

“However, only a princess can access it’s magic.” Pixie clarified an aspect of the power of the wand.

“Oh,” Sorrel said unsure how she felt by the tiny ball of light's comment.

Sorrel and Zara stopped as they were met with a large metal wall blocking their escape. Sorrel felt her stomach twist as fear both familiar and new rocks through her and she looked around for any hope. Within seconds her eyes caught something that she didn’t quite recognize but knew immediately, a circular metal protrusion from the floor set aside from the main part of the tunnel like a small platform. Then instinctively she stepped on it and then put another foot on the protrusion to stand on it completely.

From within the walls, the sound of clinking gears and chains came alive within the walls of the tunnel as the platforms sank and clicked against the floor. The wall in front of them began to shakily rise and slide into the ceiling with a clank. The two girls stared at the area that had been revealed by the moving wall, a long corridor the same as the tunnel that they had been racing down. However, a faint white light could be seen several feet away a beacon for a potential exit.

“It’s a pressure plate?” Sorrel stared at the mechanism “We need to find something to put on it.” She said almost reflexively.

Zara’s expression twisted as her eyes glanced back into the approaching sound of footsteps behind them and the little ball of light that was Pixie. Zara moved her wand from hand to hand in hopes to distract her from the panic swirl of emotions felt between the three of them and contemplated her next move. Zara looked over to Sorrel's shoulders sagging as she stepped on the pressure plate.

“Go over and check ahead.” Zara readied her wand, eyes glancing back at the sound of approaching footsteps “We’ve got seconds before they get to us.”

With a trusting nod, Sorrel moved I headed down the hallway, the whole while looking for a lever, another pressure plate or even a heavy box. With each step, she couldn’t help but look at the end of the corridor a distant light like sunshine indicating a possible escape to the larger world outside the castle. Her investigation was halted by the sound of old rolling gears and collapsing metal. Sorrel spun around but she was too late the metal barrier that Zara had been keeping up had fallen shut against the floor.

“It’s okay.” The ex-princess said her voice echoing through the sheet of metal between them.

“Zara?” Sorrel’s voice raised a pitch higher in fear “Zara why’d yo-”

Zara spoke up before Sorrel could finish her question “I’m going to take another way out.”

Sorrel’s heart began to pound faster as a chill creeped over her, each second Zara’s words heavily sinking into her. She couldn’t understand why the ex-princess wanted her to go alone when there had to be a simple solution in which they could go on together. The thought of venturing on the down the short tunnel all alone and abandoning her only ally in this foreign world was to much to think about.

“No! There’s got to be a way to!” Her words were quickly cut off by the other girl’s voice.

“Sorrel, stop,” Zara warned.

“You’re going to get caught!” Sorrel ripped off the fabric mask and pounded at the barrier.

“It’s not like they’re going to be able to stop me. Not this time.” Zara said with a grave finality “If you want to get out of here, you have to go to Dark Beauty Castle. Understand?

Sorrel shook her head unable to process why Zara was doing this to her. They didn’t have to split up like this. There had to be another way, and deep down knew that Zara was making a big mistake.

“If you make it there, could you at least wait for me?” The former princess confessed “I want to see your world. It seems like fun.”

“What about you? I have no clue about this world.” Sorrel begged.

“You can do this.” Zara gave a warning smack against the metal dividing them “Now get going!”

Sorrel shook her head in absolute denial at what Zara was ordering her to do, she couldn’t bring herself to leave the other girl. She pushed and shoved against the metal wall feeling along with the edges for any way to the wall. She got down on the floor trying to lift it by herself, just enough for maybe Zara and Pixie to crawl under. Though the wall was sealed like a tomb, and there was no indication that Zara would get back on the pressure plate on the other side.

“I said go!” Zara shouted at her in worry and fear than anger “Don’t make this for all nothing.”

Sorrel sucked in a breath as she punched the wall that separated her from the only person she could confide in this strange world. She took a step away as she cradled her hand in pain before turning to run blindly down the darkened corridor. The echoing sound of her shoes against stone and steel giving a tempo of the pounding of her heart. The more she ran the less and less she thought she could reach the graying shadow of the light at the end of the corridor. Her body from her aching from hand to her lung's, had to slow down. Coughing and heaving as her progress halted as felt a thick ickier rose in her throat and escape her mouth.

Panting heavily bending over, she froze the lack of light turning from the darkness blinding her completely. Sorrel felt so much guilt, she should’ve stayed with Zara, found another way instead of leaving her behind. Before she could make a move to turn back for the other girl her eyes caught something that made every cell in her body burn both hot and cold. Farther than where she thought her eyes could see into the dark. Father then the light had frist been in the corridor was the unmistakable outline of seven figures, a spectrum of bright lights moved from their shadowy faces like glowing wisps. She pressed herself against the wall, lips trembling at the shadows. She forced herself to hide knowing fully they couldn't be real.

Yet, a part of her wanted rush towards them, the danger more comforting than being in dark alone.

Her eyes became filled with tears that the lights blurred into a murky rainbow. Helpless to crushing dread as each bright star of color disappeared from her vision, as her body shook and able to take a step forward after them. Sorrel’s heart felt like it was going to give out every ounce of seemingly energy was taken from her. Pain and fear of what she saw enthralling her senses from the harsh impact her body made on the metal floor. She let out a whimper, but covered her mouth conflicted by the shadows she let slip away.

She was helpless, hopeless, as the weight of darkness became too much making her feel her eyes shut. As her tears rolled down her cheeks a distant wind freezing them to ice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a update for all of you! My courses for this semester started and the progress for all of my hobbies halted so much. Though all your kind words and interactions with my fic so far gave me the motivation to come back. You don't know how much it means to me to know that other people enjoy my work . ❤(ˆ‿ˆԅ) I've been absolutely loving this fandom so far and I've been putting in so much time to get posts out as much as I can. I enjoy writing and spinning tales, that I would do it forever if it was feasible. ᕙ(`▿´)ᕗ .


	9. Beyond the Laughing Sky

Azul’s mind drifted from wakefulness and sleep; in his mind, he was still on the train staring out at the loop of strangely familiar landscapes. He wanted to stay in sleep where he sat on the roof of the train with the rest of the group looking for Sorrel, as the shadow of the castle they had escaped from lingered in the distance. His waking mind however knew that they were no longer on the train, they didn’t react fast enough when the train stopped for just a little too long.

“My head.” He hissed aloud as he got to his knees staring at the red brick walls of the jail cell. His hand reached for his magic pen or anything to cast a spell with, but as he expected they were gone.

“Is anyone here?” He listened intently to the rustling as he cradled his head.

“I’m here.” Riddle chimed in first his voice clear coming from a nearby cell. “ Vil is with me but he hasn’t woken up.”

“I’m here with Leona!” Jamil answered.

“M-Malleus?” Idia stuttered out “Where is he?”

“I’m in the same cell as Grim.” Malleus’s voice answered as if from a distance.

Azul gave a sigh of relief at the sound of the other members of the rescue party. At least whoever had managed to overwhelm them on the train hadn’t separated them. The relief he felt was short-lived as a noisy chatter between the young men in the cells causing his headache to grow once again. He squeezed his eyes tight both in pain and disorientation unable to focus on any line of conversation.

A loud bang and a shaking of a nearby wall silenced them as a massive figure hobbled in front of the cells “Shud’up!” A black furred creature with a peg leg dressed in dirty blue overalls the creature looked a mix between a cat and a bear “You stowaways are getting what you deserve!” His gruff voice boomed with disdain startling Vil awake with the sound.

The young men shouted back at their captor spewing threats and rattling the bars of their cell doors. The black-furred creature just grumbled gave a dismissive wave in response as he stared them down with dull dark eyes. Then grumbling harsh words under his breath, he adjusted the hat atop his head before stomping back down the hall.

Eye shut as a new wave of pain that came over Azul then slowly subsided as he heard the far-off noise of the door opening and closing shut. He could hear the voices of his companion more clearly, but he could hear something else. Intrigued he leaned into the wall farthest from the others and towards where the bear with the peg leg had hobbled off to.

“I, I... you don’t need to handle these boys.” The faint voice of the peg-legged beast pleaded.

The other voice caught somewhere between a laugh and a hum responded “Pete, Pete, Pete. Big. Bad. Pete.” The newcomer’s voice was cloyingly sweet but lacked the warmth to be anything more than mocking “These are some trumped-up charges you’re holding them on. Let me give them a proper welcome.”

The voice seemed to sink into the mind of Azul numbing the pain that was plaguing him since the night Sorrel was kidnapped. His breath quickened more panicked by the relief from the pain then comforted knowing it had to be the work of magic. He blinked away dream like malaise that he had waded through on his journey so far allowing his to truly see every detail of the situation clear as crystal.

“B-but Deacon said!” Pete stammered out.

“Deacon put me in charge of this. You don’t want me to punish you like the other Pete’s that refused to repent?” Even though the words clearly a threat, the stranger said it so peacefully as if asking if Big Bad Pete would like something to drink.

Azul jumped to attention as he heard the footsteps of Pete hobbled back up the hall. He watched as the anthropomorphic bear looked at the jail cells that held the young men almost frightened. The whole while the hum of the newcomer’s voice and the rhythmic tapping of a walking cane wafted into the hall.

“Get out! Line up!” Pete barked unlocking each of the cells opening up the doors with a loud bang. “You brats have a visitor!”

Restraining their longing to fight or make a run for freedom, the group was funneled and pushed out into the front of the building. Tailed by Pete the group entered a room that looked like a lobby of an official town hall which merely disguised the jail that was just behind a door they had entered from.

Standing in the middle of the room was a young man with soft and delicate features like a doll brought to life. Dressed as a member of a barbershop quartet he appeared diminutive in stature compared to the taller dorm leaders. He shifted nervously steadying himself on a wooden walking cane tucking a lock of wavy dark hair behind his ear.

“H-howdy!” The stranger said in a chipper yet anxious tone as his dark powder blue eyes flicked around the group “My you are quite the strapping group.” He blushed

The young man paced back and forth in front of the group looking at the floor in front of their feet and that them. He would move as if to speak to one of them before nervously slinking down the line tapping at the floor as small slips of paper fell from his sleeve.

“Valdou?” The young man squeaked as he got to Malleus, the fae’s human form starling actual words from him.

“My name is Tsunotarou.” Malleus answered bluntly holding back a furious Grim.

The doll-like man laughed cheeks dusting with color in embarrassment “Of course! Of. Course.” He breathed as he pulled on the bow around his collar “Forgive me.” He straightened up giving a big grin “I’m Atticus and I am here to help you, maybe we can be friends too!”

“Are you like a king or something?” Leona eyed Atticus with irritation. The lion-man quickly becoming suspicious of the newcomer dressed in white and red striped vest.

The corners of Atticus’s mouth quivered at the question before giving a short laughed “No, no, no. Wasteland doesn’t have such a vertical power structure.”

“Then why is there a castle?” Vil asked.

“I want you to be happy.” Atticus did not answer his question before giving a startled gasp “Are any of you hurt? You want to go get something to eat?” Atticus smiled excited to be useful to the group “I’ll grant you anything you desire, just say the word.”

There was a chill that washed over the rescue party quickly stealing glances at each other to gauge how best to respond to the delicate-looking stranger. After what had occurred in the castle and spending the night in a prison, an enthusiastic display of hospitality had instantly made them suspicious.

“You must all be still so confused.” Atticus said on a whimper at their cynical expressions “That’s okay that’s why we have a museum to help new arrivals be oriented with their situation.” He perked up heading towards the door that led out of the lobby, beams of bright sunlight rushing in as he opened it.

It was then with the door to freedom being held so graciously out to them that our realization struck the more observant members of the group. Atticus didn’t know who they were, at least not in the same way the red-clad sorcerer in the castle had and because of that didn’t hold the same wickedness towards them. Whether it was because of the headmaster’s charm holding in the world they found themselves in or Atticus truly not wanting to harm them. .

Azul however, remained incredulous about Atticus’s eagerness to help, he was certain that the young man in front of them was the same one he had overheard. Which meant that the smiling boy's helpfulness was likely a front for more insidious intentions. Which left him with a puzzle to solve, did he wait for the doll like stranger make a move to stop them rescuing Sorrel or warn the others about Atticus first and slip away when they had the chance.

Atticus watched the group standing in the lobby “Come on it’s just across the street over here!” He jerked his head with a laugh “Maybe we can get breakfast afterward? Maybe just go and get some ice cream?” His voice faded on a question as he walked out into the sunny street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a short chapter for everyone :-). I wrote this instead of sleeping so forgive the errors. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter out after New Year's.


End file.
